bestäms

Bestäms is the present passive form of the Swedish verb bestämma, meaning to decide or to determine. In this form, the action is described as being performed without naming the agent responsible. The subject of the clause is the thing that is determined, while the doer can be omitted or introduced with av to indicate who or what determines it.

Morphology and form: Bestäms is formed by adding the suffix -s to the verb stem, producing a uniform form for all persons (jag, du, han, vi, ni, de). This passive construction is commonly used in formal and impersonal styles, such as official statements, reports, and academic writing. It contrasts with the active form, where the subject performs the action: jag bestämmer, du bestämmer, etc.

Usage and function: The bestäms construction emphasizes the outcome or result rather than the actor. It is typical in contexts where the agent is unknown, irrelevant, or intentionally left unspecified. The agent can be expressed with av, for example: Beslutet bestäms av styrelsen (The decision is determined by the board). The passive form also allows the subject to be abstract: Priset bestäms av marknaden (The price is determined by the market).

Relation to other passives: Swedish also allows a dynamic passive with blir and other constructions, but the -s passive is the standard agentless form used for stative or general determinations. It is important to distinguish bestäms from active statements and from other passive constructions that may shift nuance or focus.

See also: passiv (grammatik), svenska verbböjningar, bestämma.