English Reference

Word

swedish

Phoneticsswedish

/ˈswidɪʃ/

Definitions

01the language

A1

n. the language spoken by people in Sweden and parts of Finland.

n. the North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and parts of Finland. Uncountable in this sense.

“She decided to learn Swedish before moving to Stockholm for her new job.”

“Although many people in the region speak English fluently, the local government conducts its official business primarily in Swedish.”

02relating to Sweden

A1

adj. coming from or relating to the country of Sweden.

adj. relating to Sweden, its inhabitants, or its culture. A proper adjective that must be capitalized.

“We bought some Swedish furniture for our new apartment.”

“The Swedish design aesthetic is often characterized by its functional minimalism and clever use of natural light.”

03the people

A2

n. the people who come from Sweden.

n. the people of Sweden collectively. Used with the definite article 'the' to refer to the entire population.

“The Swedish are known for their love of nature and outdoor activities.”

“A recent survey suggests that the Swedish generally place a high value on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.”

Etymology

From Swede + -ish. Cognate with Dutch Zweeds, German Schwedisch.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
A1 · Beginner
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/swedish

English Reference