Object Pronouns in Swedish

Overview

When someone does something to you or for you, Swedish uses object pronouns instead of subject pronouns. Just as English switches from "I" to "me" and "he" to "him," Swedish has its own set of object forms. These are used for both direct objects (the thing receiving the action) and indirect objects (the person benefiting from the action).

At the A2 level, learning object pronouns is essential for everyday conversation — you need them to say things like "Call me," "I see her," or "Give them the book." Swedish object pronouns are fairly straightforward, with one form serving for both direct and indirect objects.

How It Works

Subject vs. Object Pronouns

Person	Subject	Object	English equivalent
1st singular	jag	mig	me
2nd singular	du	dig	you
3rd singular (masc.)	han	honom	him
3rd singular (fem.)	hon	henne	her
3rd singular (en-word)	den	den	it
3rd singular (ett-word)	det	det	it
1st plural	vi	oss	us
2nd plural	ni	er	you
3rd plural	de	dem	them

Pronunciation Notes

Written	Spoken
mig	/mej/
dig	/dej/
dem	/dom/
de	/dom/

Usage as Direct Object

The direct object receives the action of the verb directly:

• Jag ser dig. (I see you.)
• Hon älskar honom. (She loves him.)

Usage as Indirect Object

The indirect object is the recipient or beneficiary of the action:

• Ge mig boken. (Give me the book.)
• Jag skickade henne ett brev. (I sent her a letter.)

After Prepositions

Object pronouns are always used after prepositions:

• Boken är till dig. (The book is for you.)
• Han bor nära oss. (He lives near us.)

Examples in Context

Swedish	English	Note
Kan du hjälpa mig?	Can you help me?	Direct object
Jag ringde dig igår.	I called you yesterday.	Direct object
Vi träffade honom på festen.	We met him at the party.	Direct object
Berätta för henne.	Tell her.	After preposition
Ge oss lite tid.	Give us some time.	Indirect object
Jag ska skicka er en inbjudan.	I will send you an invitation.	Indirect object, plural
Läraren frågade dem.	The teacher asked them.	Direct object
Kom med mig!	Come with me!	After preposition
Kan du visa mig vägen?	Can you show me the way?	Indirect object
Det beror på dig.	It depends on you.	After preposition
Hunden följer honom överallt.	The dog follows him everywhere.	Direct object
Jag köpte den till henne.	I bought it for her.	After preposition

Common Mistakes

Using subject pronouns as objects

• Wrong: Jag ser hon.
• Right: Jag ser henne.
• Why: After a verb (as an object), you must use the object form. Hon is the subject form; henne is the object form.

Confusing "dem" and "de"

• Wrong: Jag träffade de igår.
• Right: Jag träffade dem igår.
• Why: De is the subject form ("they"), and dem is the object form ("them"). Even though both are pronounced /dom/ in speech, the written distinction matters.

Mixing up "den" and "det" for objects

• Wrong: Boken? Jag läste det igår. (referring to boken, an en-word)
• Right: Boken? Jag läste den igår.
• Why: The pronoun must match the gender of the noun it refers to. Boken is an en-word, so use den, not det.

Forgetting the object pronoun after prepositions

• Wrong: Brevet är till hon.
• Right: Brevet är till henne.
• Why: After prepositions (till, för, med, på, etc.), always use the object form of the pronoun.

Usage Notes

In spoken Swedish, mig and dig are almost always pronounced /mej/ and /dej/. You will sometimes see them written as mej and dej in informal texts, chat messages, and social media, though the standard spelling remains mig and dig.

The pronoun hen (object form: hen or henom) is used as a gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun. It has become increasingly common in both spoken and written Swedish.

Practice Tips

• Practise by answering questions with object pronouns: Ser du Maria? → Ja, jag ser henne. Go through all the pronouns this way until the forms feel automatic.
• Write short dialogues where characters ask each other for help, give each other things, or talk about each other. This naturally forces you to use direct objects, indirect objects, and prepositions.
• Pay attention to pronunciation: say /mej/ and /dej/ aloud, not the spelling pronunciation. This will help you sound more natural and understand native speakers better.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Personal Pronouns — Learn the subject forms (jag, du, han, etc.) before tackling object forms.
• Next steps: Reflexive Pronouns — Learn when to use sig, mig, dig etc. for actions directed at oneself.