Questions & Answers about Hon satte på musiken.
Why does satte på mean 'turned on'?
Sätta på literally means 'put on', but it is a standard Swedish particle verb for turning on media, electronics, or appliances. You will also commonly hear slå på used for the exact same thing.
What is the base form of satte?
The infinitive form is sätta (to put or place). It is an irregular verb: the past tense is satte and the supine form (the form used after 'have') is satt.
If sätta på is 'turn on', how do I say 'turn off'?
The most common way to say 'turn off' for electronics and media is stänga av (literally 'close off'). So 'She turned off the music' would be Hon stängde av musiken.
Can I split the verb and say Hon satte musiken på?
No. Unlike English, where you can say 'turned the music on', Swedish keeps the verb and its particle together when the object is a regular noun. It must stay in the order satte på musiken.
Is there a specific way to pronounce satte på?
Yes! Because it is a particle verb (a verb paired with a small preposition or adverb that changes its meaning), the spoken stress falls heavily on the particle. You emphasize på, not satte.
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