sig
Oneself (Reflexive)
sig means 'oneself' for third-person subjects (he, she, it, they). Use it when the action of the verb reflects back on the subject. Example: 'Han rakar sig' (He shaves himself).
How It Works
sig is a crucial reflexive pronoun in Swedish. It commonly refers back to a third-person subject as an object or after a preposition. It also occurs in lexicalized expressions where a literal self-action explanation is inadequate.
The subjects that use sig are:
- han (he)
- hon (she)
- den/det (it)
- de (they)
When the action 'reflects' back to one of these subjects, you must use sig.
Compare the difference:
- Reflexive: Hon köper sig en bok. (She buys herself a book.)
The subject (Hon) and the object (sig) are the same person. - Non-reflexive: Hon köper henne en bok. (She buys her a book.)
The subject (Hon) and the object (henne) are two different people.
This pattern is very common with reflexive verbs, including att sätta sig (to sit down) and att lära sig (to learn). These constructions describe a change of position or acquiring knowledge, rather than necessarily seating or teaching oneself as a separate person.
The possessive form that follows the same logic is sin/sitt/sina ('his own', 'her own', etc.).
Not Only After Pronoun Subjects
A name or noun can also be the antecedent: Anna tvättar sig; Barnen tvättar sig. Generic man also normally takes sig: Man måste skynda sig. For ordinary first- and second-person subjects, use mig, dig, oss or er: Jag tvättar mig; Vi sätter oss.
Within A Larger Sentence
Identify the subject of the relevant action: in Hon bad honom att tvätta sig, sig refers to the person expected to wash, not automatically to hon. Fixed expressions such as i och för sig have their own grammar and do not change sig to match every speaker.
Examples (5)
- Han lär sig svenska.
He is learning Swedish.
Word by Word: He / learns [reflexive construction] / Swedish.
Lära sig means learn. Sig matches third-person han as part of this construction; it does not imply that he teaches himself without anyone else’s help.
- Hon tittar på sig själv i spegeln.
She looks at herself in the mirror.
Word by Word: She / looks at herself / in the mirror.
The action 'tittar på' (looks at) is directed back at the subject 'hon'. 'Själv' is added for emphasis.
- De sätter sig vid bordet.
They sit down at the table.
Word by Word: They / sit down [reflexive construction] / at the table.
Sätta sig describes sitting down, with sig matching third-person plural de. The same sig form is used for singular and plural subjects.
- Katten tvättar sig.
The cat is washing itself.
Word by Word: The cat washes itself.
Here, 'katten' (the cat) is the subject, which corresponds to 'den'. The action is reflexive, so 'sig' is used.
- Barnen måste klä på sig nu.
The children have to get dressed now.
Word by Word: The children / must get dressed / now.
'Att klä på sig' (to get dressed) is another common reflexive verb. The subject is 'barnen' (the children), which corresponds to 'de'.
Common Mistakes
Using a regular object pronoun (honom, henne, dem) instead of
sig.Han frågar honom varför han är ledsen. (Intended: He asks himself why he is sad.)Han frågar sig varför han är ledsen.To express asking himself in this clause, use Han frågar sig. Honom instead normally identifies another man as the person being asked. The sentence with honom is grammatical; it does not express the intended reflexive meaning.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'sig', you first need to be comfortable with basic subject pronouns and how verbs are conjugated. It is also important to understand how standard object pronouns (like 'mig' or 'honom') work, as 'sig' replaces these forms when the object of a third-person sentence is the same as the subject.
Related Patterns
- Reflexive verbs
Level 2sigis the essential component of third-person reflexive verbs. Many verbs in Swedish require a reflexive pronoun likesigto be grammatically correct (e.g.,att bestämma sig- to decide). - sin/sitt/sinaHis/her/its/their (Reflexive)
Sin/sitt/sina are reflexive possessives. Like sig they refer back within the appropriate construction, but their form agrees with the following noun: sin bok, sitt hus, sina böcker. The relation need not be literal ownership, as in sin mamma.
Level 1 - Basic pronouns
Compare local Han såg sig with Han såg honom: sig refers back to that subject, while honom normally refers elsewhere in this clause. Across clause boundaries, honom can refer to a person mentioned as a subject earlier; the nonreflexive forms do not mean a globally different person in every sentence.
Foundations - varandraEach Other
Level 2varandrameans 'each other' (reciprocal action), whilesigmeans 'themselves' (reflexive action). Compare: 'De ser sig' (They see themselves, e.g., in mirrors) vs. 'De ser varandra' (They see each other).
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Patterns that build on this one.
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