Learn Hardcore Swedish: Han letar efter sina cykelhjälmar.

The sentence translates to "He is looking for his bicycle helmets." This breaks down to "Han" meaning "He," "letar efter" meaning "is looking for," and "sina cykelhjälmar" meaning "his bicycle helmets."

What does the verb phrase "letar efter" consist of, and how does it function in the sentence?

"Letar efter" is made up of "letar," which is the present tense form of "leta" (meaning "to search") and "efter," a preposition that translates to "for." Together, they form the equivalent of the English phrasal verb "to look for," indicating the action that the subject is performing.

Why is the reflexive possessive pronoun "sina" used instead of "hans" in this sentence?

In Swedish, a reflexive possessive like "sina" is used when the possessor is also the subject of the sentence. Here, since "han" (he) is both the subject and the owner of the bicycle helmets, "sina" correctly indicates that the helmets belong to him. If referring to someone else’s belongings, one would use "hans."

What is the singular form of "cykelhjälmar," and what does it mean?