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Particle Verbs

Verb + particle combinations

Particle verbs combine a verb with an adverbial particle

The particle is stressed and changes or specifies the meaning.

📊 Common particle verbs
Particle verb Meaning
ta av take off (clothing)
sätta på turn on
stänga av turn off
ta upp bring up / pick up
lägga ner put down / close down
komma ihåg remember
ge upp give up
gå upp go up / get up
köra förbi drive past
💬 Examples
stänga av / sätta på
to turn off / to turn on
📝 av (off) / på (on) change direction
ta upp / lägga ner
to bring up / to put down
📝 upp/ner give direction to action
In main clauses, the particle separates from the verb

The verb stays second (V2); the particle moves to the end.

💬 Examples
Jag stänger av lampan.
I turn off the lamp.
📝 stänger (2nd) ... av at the end
Kom ihåg att ringa!
Remember to call!
📝 ihåg follows kom in imperative
In subordinate clauses, particle and verb stay together

After a subordinating conjunction, the particle does not separate.

💬 Examples
...att jag stänger av lampan.
...that I turn off the lamp.
📝 stänger av stays together in subclause
...när hon tar av sig skorna.
...when she takes off her shoes.
📝 tar av stays together after när