som
That/which/who
Use 'som' to add extra information about a noun, like 'who', 'which', or 'that' in English.
How It Works
Som is the usual relative marker in Swedish, traditionally called a relative pronoun. It introduces a relative clause (en relativ bisats), which is a type of subordinate clause that describes a noun.
Key characteristics of 'som':
- It corresponds to the English 'who', 'which', or 'that'.
- It is invariable, meaning it doesn't change form based on the gender (en/ett) or number (singular/plural) of the noun it refers to.
- The word order in the clause introduced by 'som' follows the subordinate clause word order.
'som' as the subject:
When 'som' is the subject of the relative clause, it cannot be omitted.
Example: Jag har en vän som bor i Stockholm. (I have a friend who lives in Stockholm.)
Here, 'som' refers to 'en vän' and is the subject of the verb 'bor'.
'som' as the object:
In a restrictive relative clause that helps identify the noun, som can often be omitted when the understood element is an object or a preposition's complement. This is possible in both speech and writing. Do not extend this to a nonrestrictive clause that merely adds a separate comment.
Example: Det är boken som jag köpte igår. (That is the book that I bought yesterday.)
This can also be said as: Det är boken jag köpte igår.
Here, 'som' refers to 'boken', but 'jag' is the subject of the verb 'köpte'.
Subject and Object Labels
The labels above describe the role of the understood element linked to the noun: in mannen som talar, the man is the subject; in mannen som jag träffade, the man is the object and jag is the subject. In the second kind, omission depends on the relative clause being restrictive. Keep the marker in an added comment such as Min chef, som jag träffade i går, är bortrest.
Examples (5)
- Jag känner en man som talar fem språk.
I know a man who speaks five languages.
Word by Word: I know a man that speaks five languages.
Here, 'som' refers to 'en man' (a person) and acts as the subject of the verb 'talar'.
- Huset som ligger vid sjön är gammalt.
The house that is by the lake is old.
Word by Word: The house that lies by the lake is old.
'som' refers to 'huset' (a thing) and is the subject of the verb 'ligger'.
- Kvinnan som jag träffade igår är min chef.
The woman who I met yesterday is my boss.
Word by Word: The woman that I met yesterday is my boss.
In this sentence, 'som' is the object of the verb 'träffade'. Because it's the object, it can be omitted: 'Kvinnan jag träffade igår är min chef.'
- Det här är filmen som alla pratar om.
This is the movie that everyone is talking about.
Word by Word: This is the movie that everyone talks about.
'som' is the object of the preposition 'om'. It can be omitted in this case: 'Det här är filmen alla pratar om.'
- Barnen som leker i parken är glada.
The children who are playing in the park are happy.
Word by Word: The children that play in the park are happy.
This example shows that 'som' does not change for plural nouns ('barnen').
Common Mistakes
Using 'vad' (what) instead of 'som'.
Jag ser mannen vad bor där.Jag ser mannen som bor där.'Vad' means 'what' and is used in questions or to mean 'that which' (see 'det som'). 'Som' is the correct relative pronoun to mean 'who' or 'that' when referring back to a specific noun like 'mannen' (the man).
Incorrectly omitting 'som' when it is the subject of the clause.
Jag har en katt är svart.Jag har en katt som är svart.Keep
somwhen the noun supplies the subject of the relative clause, as with the cat being black. A subject need not perform an action. Omission is possible in many restrictive clauses with an understood object or prepositional complement:Boken (som) jag läserandfilmen (som) vi pratar om.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'som' as a relative pronoun (meaning 'that', 'which', or 'who'), you need to be comfortable with basic Swedish sentence structure and how verbs and pronouns work. 'Som' connects a main clause to a subordinate clause, so understanding how to build a simple sentence first is a necessary foundation.
- Word order basics
Understanding basic sentence structure is essential before learning how to embed relative clauses using 'som'.
Foundations - Basic pronouns
Since 'som' acts as a relative pronoun replacing a noun or pronoun, the learner must first understand how basic pronouns function.
Foundations - Basic verb conjugation
Relative clauses introduced by 'som' contain their own verbs, requiring knowledge of how to conjugate verbs to form complete thoughts.
Foundations
Related Patterns
- Subordinate clause word order
'som' introduces a subordinate clause, and the word order within that clause follows the BIFF rule.
Level 3 - varsWhose
Vars is the possessive form used in relative clauses, meaning 'whose'. It's used when 'som' would not be appropriate to show ownership.
Level 3 - vilket/vilkaWhich (Relative)
While 'som' is most common, vilken, vilket, and vilka can also be used as relative pronouns, especially in formal writing. They agree with the noun's gender and number. Additionally, 'vilket' has a special use where it refers to an entire preceding clause.
Level 3 - det somThat Which
A relative clause can describe a pronoun as well as a noun.
Level 3Det som är viktigtmeans “what is important” or “that which is important”; it does not need a separate named noun as its antecedent. - det är...somDet Är...som Construction
'som' is a key part of cleft sentences (Det är... som...) which are used to emphasize a particular part of a sentence, e.g., 'Det var jag som vann' (It was I who won).
Level 3
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Patterns that build on this one.
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Practice som in Bubblegum
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