"I cannot find my toothbrush."

Translation: Jag hittar inte tandborsten.

[warhymn]

Why would I translate this sentence with the possessive instead of just " I can not find the toothbrush"?

[Arnauti]

I wrote something about this here: https://www.duolingo.com/comment/5741592

[thoscorco]

Does anyone know the rule for replacing the possessive adjective (my) with definite article (the) as is done in Swedish in this sentence. I know this is correct since it's very commonly heard. When else does Swedish do this...say, apart from body parts? (Jag har ont i benet = My leg hurts.)

[devalanteriel]

I've been trying to figure out a rule for as long as I've been helping teach Swedish, but I honestly have nothing - only that it's most common for body parts, as you say.

[Rickymonster]

Can one say: Jag kan hitta inte min tandborste?

[Zmrzlina]

No. The inte has to go after the verb kan.

[Dieter37241]

"my toothbrush" is not the same as "the toothbrush"!