"The man loves his dog."

Translation: Mannen älskar sin hund.

[DirgeNovak]

I don't get the difference between sin and sitt.

[rhblake]

Sin if the thing you're referring to is an en-word, sitt if it's an ett-word:

• Mannen älskar sin hund. (Because it's en hund)
• Mannen älskar sitt hus. (Because it's ett hus)

[norduno2]

Thanks, that was super helpful!

[PatriaDewi]

Do we have to memorise en-word and ett-word just like de-word and het-word in Dutch? Or do they have a fixed pattern?

[cosmic_bats]

I think it's just memorisation.

[Guilherme950296]

You're right, it's just memorization indeed

[DADDYBalli]

Still dont get it

[TomMacPher2]

Try this explanation also:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Svenska/comments/3qitpu/what_is_the_difference_between_dindittdina_and/cwfnh08

[BrennaTrus1]

I keep mistaken äter for älskar...terrible mistake for this sentence

[sarahfrench22]

how to know if it's sin or hans ?

[rhblake]

Context. "sin" if it's his own dog, "hans" if it's some other male person's dog. In this case, translating a single sentence where the English language is ambiguous, either translation should be fine. But some native Swedes would mess it up too, even if they knew whose dog it was! :)

[Prasannjee]

Thanks!

[Andreas325675]

Thanks. Being German his has puzzled me all the time, because we don't use such a differentiation. But it makes sense. Only need to get used to it.

[ALXNDRH]

The reflexive possessive pronoun "sin" is used if "He loves his (own) dog" vs the possessive pronoun "hans" which would mean "He loves his (another guy's) dog".

[Leslie_Blue]

What is the difference between sin and sina?

[Fannyfly]

Sin -> his dog (he has only one dog)
Sina -> his dogs (he has several dogs)

[Amun_Ra_]

How do you distinguish between when to use Hans vs Sin/Sitt. I know that Sitt and Sin are used based on what words come after and Sina is for plural. But when should i use Hans? Was is correct to use Hans for this sentence?

[KrajjiDani]

Someone please explain the difference between sitt, sin, and sina i always get them wrong and i cant ever differentiate them :(

[Charles697505]

I would appreciate a clarification on "ett" words and "en" words.

[Lily50290]

Ett and En are both used for singular forms. But it is just like A or An.

But there is not really a difference, you learn as you use them more. But to make it easier, think of how it sounds.

Ett katt, sounds wrong right? Because it is supposed to be En katt (A cat). If you try to memorize what sounds off and what sounds correct, you'll get the hang of it.

Examples with En: En kvinna, en man, en hund, en katt, en cykel, en pojke, en flicka, en klänning.

Examples with Ett: Ett hus, ett äpple, ett arbete, ett hem.

Try to memorize which is used for what and which sounds the best and the least odd to you. Goodluck!

[VioletaVeer]

I doubt a new word sounds wrong to you with the other article, I think this develops after a while.

A tip: when learning new words, repeat nouns in the determinate form: kvinnan, katten, huset, äpplet... This way the article becomes a part of the word you are learning and you are less likely to mix them up.

[NatDouglas]

In this sentence how will I know if it is plural or singular

[veekkuli]

I thinki it's Mannen älskar hans hund. Not sin hund.

[LadySeabrooke]

"Han älskar hans hund" would be more like "he loves his dog" and the dog is owned by someone else, like a friend or family member, maybe. "Sin hund" would be his own dog that he owns

[RevonTheTsundere]

I just had it where the person saying the sentance was a man and he said "I love our dog." And "We have a dog." Lol.