Swedish Possessive Pronouns: 

hans / hennes  vs  sin / sitt / sina

Swedish has two different ways to express possession in the third person:
hans / hennes and sin / sitt / sina.

In theory, the rule is simple. In practice, it’s one of the most persistent mistakes for A2–B2 learners.

This page explains the difference clearly, shows the most common patterns, and highlights typical errors. When you’re done reading, try the exercises here.

👉 If you want focused A2–B2 practice with Swedish possessives, try Scriva: Intermediate Grammar.

The core idea: who owns what?

The choice between hans / hennes and sin / sitt / sina depends on whether the subject owns the thing.

Ask yourself one question:

Does the subject of the clause own the object?

  • Yes → use sin / sitt / sina

  • No → use hans / hennes

That’s it. Everything else follows from this rule.

Using sin / sitt / sina (reflexive possessive)

Use sin / sitt / sina when the subject and the owner are the same person.

Examples:

Han tvättar sin bil.
(He washes his own car.)

Hon tar med sitt barn till jobbet.
(She brings her own child to work.)

De säljer sina lägenheter.
(They sell their own apartments.)

Agreement:

  • sin → en-word

  • sitt → ett-word

  • sina → plural

The form depends on the noun, not the person.

Using hans / hennes (non-reflexive possessive)

Use hans or hennes when the owner is someone else, not the subject.

Examples:

Han tvättar hennes bil.
(He washes her car.)

Hon pratar med hans chef.
(She talks to his boss.)

De bor i hennes lägenhet.
(They live in her apartment.)

Here, the subject does not own the thing—so sin/sitt/sina is not allowed.

This is where learners get confused

English uses his / her in both situations.
Swedish does not.

Compare:

Same subject = reflexive

Han älskar sin fru.
(He loves his own wife.)

Different subject = non-reflexive

Han älskar hans fru. ❌
(This sounds like he loves another man’s wife.)

This sentence is grammatically possible—but probably not what you mean.

Possessives in subordinate clauses

The rule is always based on the subject of the clause, not the whole sentence.

Examples:

Hon säger att hon har glömt sin bok.
(She forgot her own book.)

Hon säger att han har glömt sin bok.
(He forgot his own book.)

Hon säger att han har glömt hennes bok.
(He forgot her book.)

Each clause decides independently who the owner is.

Common mistakes to watch for

Learners often:

  • use hans/hennes when the subject owns the object

  • avoid sin/sitt/sina because it feels unfamiliar

  • choose the possessive based on meaning, not grammar

Example:

❌ Hon hittar inte hennes nycklar.
✅ Hon hittar inte sina nycklar.

(The keys belong to the subject → reflexive.)

How to practice hans / hennes vs sin / sitt / sina

Understanding the rule is not enough—you need repetition and contrast.

Effective practice includes:

  • choosing the correct possessive in context

  • identifying who the subject is in each clause

  • correcting sentences with ambiguous ownership

  • comparing minimal pairs (sin vs hans/hennes)

This kind of practice trains you to automatically link possession to the subject.

Summary

  • Swedish distinguishes between reflexive and non-reflexive possession

  • sin / sitt / sina = the subject owns the object

  • hans / hennes = someone else owns the object

  • The possessive agrees with the noun, not the person

  • Each clause has its own subject and ownership rule

Mastering this distinction takes time—but once it clicks, your Swedish becomes much clearer and more precise.

Try exercises here!