Beskrivs

Beskrivs is the presens passiv form of the Swedish verb beskriva, meaning to describe. It is used when the subject of the sentence is the thing that is described, rather than the one performing the description. In Swedish this passive form is often used to present information in an objective or neutral way, especially in academic, journalistic, and descriptive texts.

The form beskrivs is created by adding the passive ending -s to the verb stem beskriv-. This morphological pattern is common in Swedish, producing the present passive without an explicit agent. The corresponding active form is beskriver (he, she, it describes). Other related forms include beskrevs (preterite passive), har beskrivits (present perfect passive), and kommer att beskrivas (future passive). The past participle is beskriven (described) and can function as an adjective.

Usage and nuance: beskrivs is used when the author wants to emphasize what is described rather than who describes it. It is common in research summaries, encyclopedic entries, and neutral reporting. For example, “Fenomenet beskrivs som ett resultat av flera faktorer.” The passive can reduce repetition of agents and keep focus on the subject matter. It is often interchangeable with passive constructions using “att” or “blir beskriven,” though stylistic preferences may vary by genre.

See also: describe (beskriva) and passive voice in Swedish grammar.