Reflexive body actions (sig i/om)

Actions on your own body

When you perform an action on your own body in English, you typically use a possessive pronoun (e.g., "I wash my hands"). In Swedish, this is handled differently.

To describe an action performed on your own body, Swedish uses a specific reflexive structure: a reflexive pronoun + a preposition + the body part in the definite form.

Think of the literal translation as "I wash myself around the hands."

Choosing the right preposition (om, på, i)

The preposition you need depends on the verb and the body part involved. The most common ones are om, på, and i.

• om: Often used for broad or general areas, especially with washing (e.g., tvätta sig om händerna).
• på: Used for applying something to a surface or working on larger body parts like legs (benen), calves (vaderna), or the back (ryggen).

Let's look at på in action when applying lotion (smörja in) or massaging:

• i: Used for localized points, internal areas, or sharp actions like pinching a specific spot (like the wrist, handleden). It is also commonly used for treatments on the face (ansiktet).

Maintaining the definite form

Because the reflexive pronoun already tells us whose body part it is, you must always use the definite form of the noun (the "-en", "-et", or "-na" endings). Notice how "the back" (ryggen) and "the shoulder" (axeln) take the definite form even when talking about accidents like burning yourself.