"He puts on his new suit."

Translation: Han tar på sig sin nya kostym.

[Iglotimus]

Någon här som kan förklara varför det är 'nya kostym' och inte 'ny kostym'?

[Lundgren8]

After possessives, you put adjectives in the definite form, but not nouns.

[jdfromdublin]

Is 'Han tar sin nya kostym på sig' not a good answer?

[Lundgren8]

No, that word order doesn’t work.

[jdfromdublin]

Thanks! I was surprised because I thought 'tar på sig' behaves like 'har på sig'

[Lundgren8]

I’ve never thought about that but you’re right. This sentence sounds very strange but har på sig doesn’t. I’ll have to think about that.

[An19hp]

I had the same assumption and confusion!

[Helmut83]

And if the adjective is in the definite form, why isn't the possessive in the definite form as well? Why isn't it "sina"?

[sotnosen93]

I believe the possessive is considered definite by default because if you own something, that kind of implies it's something specific you own. You can't say for example "It is my monkey." and mean that's it's not one monkey in particular you own, it's just any monkey.

[jwbards]

Why do we need the sin here? In the sentence "I put on my shoes", we didn't need the mina - the "my" was assumed. Thanks.

[Arnauti]

We need the possessive when there is also an adjective. I mean, you could also say Han tar på sig den nya kostymen, but then that would really mean 'He puts on the new suit' – there isn't such a strong implication that the definite with article + adjective would mean 'his own' as with just the definite form and no adjective.

[jwbards]

Ah - that makes sense. Thanks.

[Pella461542]

So following what you said, one can say, "jag tar på mig min nya skor" and be accepted? To emphasize that it is "my own shoes" not just some usual old pair.

[sotnosen93]

Almost. It would be "mina nya skor" since "shoes" are plural, which the possessive needs to match.

[MatthewYung]

Is 'tar på sig' the present form of 'putting on (clothes)' whereas 'har på sig' is 'has put on (clothes)'?

[jwbards]

More wearing than putting on, I believe. I.e., Less the action than the state. Han har på sig sin nya kostym means He is wearing his new suit. Although that does, of course, mean that he put it on at some point ...

[sotnosen93]

Correct. "Put on" in the past sense would be "Han tog på sig sin nya kostym."

[bijinhakumei]

What's the difference between "klär på sig" and "tar på sig" ? and which one is more often to be used?

[sotnosen93]

"Klä på sig" just means you're getting dressed in general, without mentioning what exactly you're getting dressed in. "Ta på sig" means you're putting on a specific garment.

[SvenskaElev]

Why nya instead of ny? Does kostym need a plural new? I was not thinking so. Maybe the definte form is nya and that is needed here?

[ion1122]

Yes. After sin, the adjective is definite (bit not the noun that follows).

[SvenskaElev]

Is this a rule that is almost always true?

[sotnosen93]

It's a grammar rule, yes.

[Balambika]

Tar på sig - puts on;
Tar is also being used to bring, take.. can someone clarify the usage and how to learn the difference

[devalanteriel]

• ta = take
• ta på sig = put on = "take on oneself"
• ta med sig = bring = "take with oneself"

[Balambika]

Tack för förklaringen

[Savinien13]

Why is the construction "Han tar sin nya kostym på sig" wrong ?

[devalanteriel]

Unlike for har på sig, the word order is inflexible with tar på sig.