Learn Hardcore Swedish: Har du någon bok som jag kan låna?

In this context, någon bok means “any book” or “a book (any one will do).” It emphasizes that you’re not picky about which specific book. If you say en bok, it’s just “a book,” a bit more neutral; någon bok adds the “any/some” nuance.

Why is it Har du and not Du har at the start?

Swedish yes/no questions invert the verb and subject. So the statement Du har… (“You have…”) becomes Har du…? (“Do you have…?”). There’s no “do-support” like in English.

What does som do in som jag kan låna?

Som is the relative pronoun “that/which/who.” It links bok to the relative clause som jag kan låna (“that I can borrow”). It works for both people and things in Swedish.

Can I drop som and say Har du någon bok jag kan låna?

Yes. When som would be the object in the relative clause, it can be omitted, especially in speech: Har du någon bok jag kan låna? This is natural and common. Keeping som is always correct and slightly more formal/explicit.

Why is it jag kan låna and not kan jag låna in the clause?

In subordinate (relative) clauses introduced by som, Swedish does not use V2 word order. The subject comes before the verb: jag kan låna, not kan jag låna. V2 applies in main clauses (including yes/no questions), not in subordinate ones.

Does kan mean ability here? Would får be better for permission?

Literally, kan = “can” (ability), får = “may” (permission). In practice, som jag kan låna is idiomatic and can imply a polite request. If you want to emphasize permission, say som jag får låna or use a more polite turn like som jag skulle kunna/få låna.

Does låna mean “borrow” or “lend” in Swedish?

It can mean both depending on construction. By itself, låna can be “borrow”: låna en bok. To make “lend” explicit, use låna ut: låna ut en bok (till dig). For “borrow from someone,” use låna av: låna en bok av dig.

Should I add av dig to make “from you” explicit?

You can: Har du någon bok som jag kan låna av dig? It’s clear and natural. Without av dig, it’s usually understood from context that you mean borrowing from the person you’re asking.

How would I say it in the plural: “Do you have any books I can borrow?”

Use the plural of någon and the irregular plural of bok: Har du några böcker som jag kan låna? Singular: någon bok; plural: några böcker.

What’s the difference between någon, något, and några?

They’re the singular common-gender, singular neuter, and plural forms of “some/any.” Use:

någon with “en-words”: någon bok
något with “ett-words”: något hus
några for plural: några böcker/hus

Could I say Har du en bok som jag kan låna? What’s the nuance?

Yes, it’s correct. En bok sounds a bit more neutral/specific (“a book”), while någon bok highlights “any book (one will do).” Both are common.

How do I answer this question in Swedish?

Typical short answers:

Yes: Ja, det har jag.
No: Nej, det har jag inte. You can add nuance: Ja, jag har en, men jag behöver den i helgen. or Nej, tyvärr inte.

Is någon ever “someone”? How do I tell?

Yes, någon can mean “someone” when it stands alone: Någon ringde. When it comes before a noun, it means “some/any”: någon bok. Context and position make the meaning clear.

Can I use Finns det instead of Har du?

Yes, but the nuance changes. Har du någon bok…? asks whether you personally have one. Finns det någon bok…? means “Is there any book…?” and sounds less personal, more about availability in general.

How do I make it more polite?

Several options:

Skulle du kunna låna ut en bok till mig?
Skulle jag kunna få låna en bok av dig?
Har du möjligen någon bok som jag kan låna? These soften the request.

How do I say it in the negative, like “Don’t you have any book I can borrow?”

Use ingen (the negative counterpart of någon) with common-gender nouns: Har du ingen bok som jag kan låna? You could also say Har du inte någon bok…?, which can sound a bit more insistent/surprised.

Is it correct to add att after kan, like som jag kan att låna?

No. After modal verbs like kan, Swedish does not use att before the infinitive. It must be som jag kan låna, not kan att låna.

What’s the pronunciation of the tricky words?

Approximate standard pronunciations:

har [hɑːr]
du [dʉː]
någon [ˈnɔːɡɔn]; colloquial nån [nɔn ~ nɔŋ]
bok [buːk]
som [sɔm]
jag [jɑːɡ] or commonly [jɑː]
kan [kan]
låna [ˈloːna] Intonation rises toward the end in a yes/no question.

Could I say boken instead of bok?

That would change the meaning to “the book.” Har du boken som jag kan låna? implies a specific, known book. With bok (indefinite), you’re asking for any book, not a particular one.