Learn Hardcore Swedish: Hennes jacka ligger i vardagsrummet.

ligger (lies) for items resting on a surface or in a horizontal heap (books, clothes, phones)
står (stands) for upright things (bottles, furniture)
sitter (sits) for things that are stuck/fitted/sitting in place (plugs, buttons)
hänger (hangs) for hanging items (coats, lamps)

You could say Jackan är i vardagsrummet, and it’s understandable, but ligger is more idiomatic if it’s lying somewhere (sofa, floor, table).

Why is it hennes jacka, not hennes jackan?

Swedish does not allow “double definiteness” with possessives. After a possessive like hennes, the noun stays in its base (indefinite) form:

Correct: hennes jacka
Incorrect: hennes jackan If you want a definite noun without a possessive, you use the definite: jackan. To say “The jacket is hers,” use a predicative: Jackan är hennes.

When do I use hennes vs sin/sitt/sina?

hennes = her (non‑reflexive). It does not have to refer to the subject; it can refer to another female.
sin/sitt/sina = her own (reflexive), referring back to the subject of the same clause. Examples:
Hon säger att hennes jacka ligger i vardagsrummet. = She says that her (someone else’s) jacket is in the living room.
Hon säger att sin jacka ligger i vardagsrummet. = She says that her own jacket is in the living room.

Does hennes change with gender or number?

No. hennes is invariable. It stays the same regardless of the noun: hennes jacka, hennes hus, hennes jackor. By contrast, min/mitt/mina and sin/sitt/sina agree with the noun.

Why is it i vardagsrummet and not i vardagsrum?

You’re referring to a specific living room, so Swedish uses the definite form: vardagsrummet. Use the indefinite article if you mean “in a living room (some living room)”: i ett vardagsrum.

Why i and not på with rooms like vardagsrummet?

As a rule of thumb:

Use i for being inside enclosed spaces/rooms: i vardagsrummet, i köket, i badrummet.
Use på for surfaces, open areas, or some institutions: på balkongen, på gården, på kontoret, på restaurangen. There are idiomatic exceptions, but for rooms in a home, i is standard.

Can I front the place and say I vardagsrummet ligger hennes jacka?

Yes. This is a common way to emphasize location. Swedish main clauses are verb‑second (V2), so when you front I vardagsrummet, the verb ligger must come next: I vardagsrummet ligger hennes jacka.

What are the noun genders and plurals for jacka and vardagsrum?

jacka (common gender, “en”): singular indefinite en jacka, definite jackan; plural jackor, definite plural jackorna.
vardagsrum (neuter, “ett”): singular indefinite ett vardagsrum, definite vardagsrummet; plural vardagsrum, definite plural vardagsrummen.

How would I ask this as a yes/no question or a wh‑question?

Yes/no: Ligger hennes jacka i vardagsrummet?
Wh‑question: Var ligger hennes jacka? (You can also say Var är hennes jacka?, but ligger sounds more natural for a lying object.)

Can I say Hennes jacka finns i vardagsrummet?

Yes. finns means “is found/exists.” Hennes jacka finns i vardagsrummet sounds a bit more formal or matter‑of‑fact. For everyday speech about where an item is, ligger/står/hänger are more idiomatic.

What if the jacket is hanging, not lying?

Then use hänger:

Hennes jacka hänger i vardagsrummet. If it’s on a sofa, you’d typically keep ligger:
Hennes jacka ligger på soffan i vardagsrummet.

Any pronunciation tips for the words?

hennes: stress on the first syllable; both e’s like the e in English “bet.”
jacka: initial j is like English “y” (so “yak‑a”); ck marks a short preceding vowel and a long k sound.
ligger: short i as in “bit”; gg is a long hard g (not like English “j”).
vardagsrummet: the rd merges into a retroflex sound; the a in the first syllable is long; the final -et is pronounced.

What does vardagsrummet literally mean, and why the s?

It’s a compound: vardag (everyday/weekday) + linking s + rum (room) + definite ending -et. The linking s is common in Swedish compounds (called a “foge‑s”).

Are there related words for different kinds of outerwear?

Yes:

jacka = jacket (short)
kappa = long coat (traditionally women’s)
rock = long overcoat (traditionally men’s)
kavaj = blazer So you might also hear: Hennes kappa hänger i hallen.

What happens if I add an adjective, e.g., “Her red jacket is in the living room”?

With a possessive, the adjective takes the definite form, but the noun stays indefinite:

Hennes röda jacka ligger i vardagsrummet. Compare:
Indefinite without possessive: En röd jacka ligger…
Definite without possessive: Den röda jackan ligger…
Possessive: Hennes röda jacka ligger… (not hennes röd jacka, and not hennes röda jackan)