Breakdown of Svaranden påstår att pengarna tillhör honom.
honom
him
pengarna
the money
att
that
påstå
to claim
tillhöra
to belong to
svaranden
the defendant
Questions & Answers about Svaranden påstår att pengarna tillhör honom.
Why do we use honom here instead of the reflexive pronoun sig?
Reflexive pronouns like sig refer back to the subject of the same clause. In the subordinate clause (att pengarna tillhör honom), the subject is pengarna. Since we want to refer back to the subject of the main clause (Svaranden), we have to use a regular personal pronoun like honom.
How does this sentence relate to the formal pronoun denne?
In highly formal or legal Swedish, you might see denne used instead of honom here (...att pengarna tillhör denne). Using denne independently (meaning 'this person' or 'the latter') is a formal tool used to refer back to a recently mentioned person, helping to avoid ambiguity in complex sentences.
What kind of word is svaranden?
It is a present participle functioning as a noun. The base verb is svara (to answer), making the participle form svarande (answering, or 'respondent'). To make it definite ('the defendant'), the suffix -n is added to form svaranden.
Is there a difference between tillhör and the particle verb hör till?
Yes. Tillhör is inseparable and is typically used for direct ownership (like owning money or a house). Hör till is a separable particle verb that more often means 'belongs with' or 'is a part of' (for example, a lid belonging to a specific jar).
Learn Svaranden påstår att pengarna tillhör honom and more in Swedish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free