Swedish Deponent Verbs
What are deponent verbs?
Many Swedish verbs can form the passive voice with -s, but some verbs ending in -s are not passive at all.
These are called deponent verbs and carry their own meaning, even when a twin verb without -s exists.
| Deponent verb | Meaning | Without -s | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| hoppas | hope | hoppa | Jag hoppas du vinner.I hope you win. |
| lyckas | succeed, manage | – | Jag lyckades inte öppna dörren.I didn't manage to open the door. |
| trivas | thrive, feel at home | – | Hon trivs bra i Sverige.She feels at home in Sweden., She likes it in Sweden. |
| andas | breathe | – | Han har slutat andas.He has stopped breathing. |
Some s-verbs express interaction
Other non-passive s-verbs can describe reciprocal actions involving two or more people. These forms can have meanings similar to constructions with varandra.
Vi träffades i Stockholm.We met in Stockholm.
Barnen slåss.The children are fighting.
De kramades.They hugged.