sin/sitt/sina

His/her/its/their (Reflexive)

Level 1

Han läser sin bok means he reads his own book. Choose sin, sitt or sina according to the possessed noun. With jag or du, use min or din forms instead.

How It Works

In Swedish, you must distinguish between the subject owning something and someone else owning something. In the basic simple-clause pattern, sin/sitt/sina is used when the possessor is a third-person subject, including man.

The Core Rule:
Use sin/sitt/sina with a third-person possessor that is the local subject in the simple pattern: Han läser sin bok. Use Jag läser min bok and Du läser din bok for first and second person. Use hans (his), hennes (hers), or deras (theirs) when the possessor is someone other than the subject.

Compare these two sentences:

  • Pelle läser sin bok. (Pelle is reading his own book.)
  • Pelle läser hans bok. (Pelle is reading another man's book.)

Choosing the Right Form:
The form depends on the gender and number of the noun being possessed (which need not be a direct object), not the subject.

  • Use sin for en-words (common gender).
  • Use sitt for ett-words (neuter gender).
  • Use sina for all plural nouns.

This is similar to how min/mitt/mina (my) and din/ditt/dina (your) work.

Clause Boundaries And Infinitives
Compare Eva säger att Anna läser sin bok: sin normally refers to Anna, the local subject. If the book belongs to Eva, write Evas bok when the reference needs to be clear.

An infinitive can have its own understood subject: Läraren bad Anna att ta med sin bok normally refers to Anna’s book. Such patterns are more complex than the basic subject rule; use a name when more than one possessor is plausible.

Possessed Noun Form
Use an indefinite noun after the possessive: sin nya bok, sitt nya hus, sina nya böcker. The possessor’s gender does not select sin or sitt.

Examples (4)

  1. Han älskar sin hund.

    He loves his (own) dog.

    Word by Word: He loves his dog.

    sin is used because the subject Han (He) is the owner, and hund is an en-word.

  2. Anna kammar sitt hår.

    Anna combs her (own) hair.

    Word by Word: Anna combs her hair.

    sitt is used because the subject Anna is the owner, and hår is an ett-word.

  3. Barnen leker med sina leksaker.

    The children are playing with their (own) toys.

    Word by Word: The children play with their toys.

    sina is used because the subject Barnen (The children) are the owners, and leksaker is plural.

  4. Katten tvättar sin päls.

    The cat is washing its (own) fur.

    Word by Word: The cat washes its fur.

    sin is used because the subject Katten (The cat) is the owner, and päls is an en-word.

Common Mistakes

  • Choosing Hennes When Eva’s Own Keys Are Intended

    Eva letar efter hennes nycklar.
    Eva letar efter sina nycklar.

    Both sentences are grammatical. In this simple clause, hennes normally points to another woman’s keys; sina points back to Eva. Use sina when Eva’s own keys are intended.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

sin/sitt/sinaLevel 1His/her/its/their (Reflexive)

Learn This First

To learn 'sin/sitt/sina', you must first understand Swedish noun genders (en/et) and plural forms to choose the correct agreement. Additionally, you need to be familiar with basic pronouns and the role of the subject in a sentence, as this reflexive form specifically refers back to the subject.

Words in This Pattern

sin