Återspeglas

Återspeglas is the present passive form of the Swedish verb återspegla, which means to reflect or to mirror. In literal usage, återspeglas describes how light, sound or images bounce off a surface and become visible again, for example as light reflected in water or glass. In figurative use, återspeglas can indicate that a situation, reality or sentiment is represented or reproduced in another medium, such as a report, artwork or description.

Etymology and related forms: återspegla is built from åter- (“again, back”) and spegla (“to mirror”). The related noun återspegling denotes the act or result of reflection. The verb forms include active present återspeglar, past återspeglade, and supine återspeglat; the corresponding passive present is återspeglas and passive past is återspeglades. In many contexts, återspeglas occurs in impersonal or passive constructions, for example: verkligheten återspeglas i boken.

Usage notes: While återspeglas is common in formal or literary Swedish, it is often interchangeable with reflekteras or speglas in some contexts. Återspegla emphasizes the act of representing or mirroring; reflektera focuses more on the process of reflection, including thinking or discussion, whereas speglas is a more direct synonym for being mirrored or reflected.

See also: spegla, återspegling, spegling, reflektera.