Gender neutral language in Swedish

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    Gender neutral language

    The Swedish language has two grammatical genders, common and neuter. Swedish is easier than gender neutral language (also called gender inclusive language) in many other languages, because its grammatical gender is less pervasive than in languages like German or French. See the main article on gender neutral language for general reasons to use neutral language, common problems in using it, and its use for nonbinary people.

    Pronouns

    Gender-neutral third-person singular

    Swedish’s official gender-neutral pronoun is hen/hen/hens. The Swedish common-inanimate pronoun den/den/dens (equivalent to it/it/its) is also used for gender-neutral language and by some nonbinary people, as well as the non-standard anglicized practice of singular de/dem/deras (they/them/their). Some nonbinary people have also opted for neopronoun such as hin/hin/hins, which is in actuality an obsolete pronoun that means something alike “that one”, but is in modern times pretty much only used in the set phrase “hin håle” (the hard one, the devil).

    Hen Standard gender-neutral/third-gender personal pronoun
    hen Subject form
    hen/henom Object form is generaly just "hen", but some use "henom". It is very individual.
    hens Possessive form
    Den Gender-neutral/common-inanimate "it"
    den Subject/object form
    dens/dess Possessive form
    De Non-standard anglicized singular "they"
    de Subject form is sometimes written "dom"
    dem Object form is sometimes written "dom"
    deras Possessive form
    Hin Neopronoun/obsolete pronoun "hin"
    hin Subject/object form
    hins Possessive form

    Generic pronoun

    Swedish’s generic pronoun man/en/ens (one/one/one’s) has been discussed for being androcentric, and some people have opted to use en/en/ens instead to make it gender inclusive. En/en/ens is not just used for gender-inclusivity however, but it is also a regional dialect variation.

    Family and relationship words

    Parents

    • Förälder. Neutral, formal, standard.
    • Päron. Neutral, slang/standard. Means “one's folk(s)” in plural and in singular.
    • Älder. Neutral, formal, nonstandard.
    • Förre. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.
    • Föffe. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.
    • Mappa. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.
    • Pamma. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.
    • Wawa. Neutral, informal, nonstandard.

    Children

    • Barn. Neutral, standard. Means child/kid.
    • Bebis. Neutral, standard. Means baby.
    • Småbarn. Neutral, standard. Means toddler.
    • Tonåring. Neutral, standard. Means teenager.
    • Ungdom. Neutral, standard. Means youth/youngster.

    Grandparents

    • Förförälder. Neutral, nonstandard but will be understood. Means grandparent.
    • Förför. Neutral, nonstandard. Means grandy/grandma/grandpa.
    • Morför. Partially neutral, nonstandard. Means maternal grandparent.
    • Farför. Partially neutral, nonstandard. Means paternal grandparent.
    • Förmor. Partially neutral, nonstandard. Means parent’s mother/grandma.
    • Förfar. Partially neutral, nonstandard. Means parent’s father/grandpa.

    Siblings and related family

    • Syskon. Neutral, standard. Means sibling(s).
    • Lillasyskon/Storasyskon. Neutral, standard. Means little sibling(s)/big sibling(s).
    • Yngre syskon/Äldre syskon. Neutral, standard. Means younger sibling(s)/older sibling(s).
    • Föräldrasyskon/försyskon. Neutral, nonstandard. Means pibling(s)/parent’s sibling(s).
    • Morssyskon. Partially neutral, nonstandard. Means mother’s sibling(s).
    • Farssyskon. Partially neutral, nonstandard. Means father’s sibling(s).
    • Föster. Partially neutral, nonstandard. Means parent’s sister/aunt.
    • Förbror. Partially neutral, nonstandard. Means parent’s brother/uncle.
    • Syskonbarn. Neutral, standard. Means nibling/niece/nephew.
    • Systerbarn. Partially neutral, standard. Means sister’s child.
    • Brorsbarn. Partially neutral, standard. Means brother’s child.
    • Syskondotter. Partially neutral, standard. Means sibling’s child/niece.
    • Syskonson. Partially neutral, standard. Means sibling’s child/nephew.
    • Kusin. Neutral, standard. Means cousin.
    • Syssling. Neutral, standard but “tremänning” is more common. Means second-cousin.
    • Brylling. Neutral, standard but “fyrmänning” is more common. Means third-cousin.
    • Pyssling. Neutral, standard but “femmänning” is more common. Means fourth-cousin.

    Partners

    • Partner. Neutral, standard. Means partner.
    • Sambo. Neutral, standard. Means cohabitation-partner.
    • Älskling. Neutral, standard. Means love.
    • Brudpartner. Neutral, nonstandard. Means marrier/spouse-to-be/nearly-wed.
    • Förlovade/Fästperson. Neutral, standard/nonstandard. Means betrothed/fiance.
    • Gemål. Neutral, formal. Means wedded spouse.
    • Dejt. Neutral, standard. Means date.
    • Sällskap. Status-neutral and gender-neutral word for someone's accompanying person.

    In-law & step-family/bonus-family

    • Svärförälder. Neutral, standard. Means parent-in-law.
    • Svärbarn. Neutral, standard. Means child-in-law.
    • Svärsyskon. Neutral, standard. Means sibling(s)-in-law.
    • Styvförälder/Bonusförälder. Neutral, standard. Means step-parent/bonus-parent.
    • Styvsyskon/Bonussyskon. Neutral, standard. Means step-child/bonus-child.
    • Styvbarn/Bonusbarn. Neutral, standard. Means step-sibling(s)/bonus-sibling(s).

    Wedding words

    • Gifta/Livspartners. Neutral, standard. Means two spouses/maritial partners.
    • Brudfölje. Neutral, standard. Means bridesmaids and groomsmen, the bridalpair's entourages.
    • Respektive fästfölje. Neutral, nonstandard. Means the respective entourages of a marrying couple, bridesmaids and groomsmen.
    • Fästföljare. Neutral, nonstandard. Used to refer to one person in the bridalpair's entourage.
    • Hedersperson/Hedersvän. Can naturally be used as a gender-neutral stand-in for a maid of honor or a best man.

    Other words

    • Vuxen. Neutral, standard. Means adult.
    • Gamling. Neutral, standard. Means elderly.
    • Hemmapartner, hemmaförälder. Neutral, standard. Means housepartner/housespouse and stay-at-home parent.
    • Änkeperson. Neutral, standard. Means widowed person.
    • Tronföljare. Neutral, standard. Means crown-successor.
    • Prin, kronprin. Neutral, nonstandard. Means princess/prince and crownprincess/crownprince.
    • Regent/Monark. Neutral, standard. Mean regnant, monarch, queen/king.
    • Ni!/Hörrni!/Folk!. Neutral, standard. Means “you” and “folk(s)”, can be used when calling multiple people instead of saying girls and/or guys.
    • Ärade/kära publik/gäster/vänner/folk. Neutral, standard. Gender-inclusive way of saying “ladies & gentlemen”.

    Professions

    Abbot, Abbedissa → Abbist


    Affärsman → Affärsperson, affärsidkare, näringsidkare, företagare, entreprenör


    Barnmorska → Jordevårdare


    Borgensman → Borgensperson, borgensförtrodd


    Brandman → Brandbekämpare


    Byggherre → Byggaktör


    Drag queen, drag king → Drag artist/drag majestät (drag ⇄ dressed as a gender)


    Fackman → Fackperson


    Flygvärd, Flygvärdinna → Kabinpersonal, kabinbiträde, flygpersonal, flygbiträde


    Frisör, Frisörska → Frissa, friserare, hårstylist


    Fröken/Dagisfröken → Förskollärare


    Förman → Förchef


    Förtroendeman → Förtroendeombud


    God man → God person/God förtrodd


    Grevinna → Greve


    Gudsman → Profet, predikare, präst, pastor, gudsperson


    Gärningsman → Gärningsperson


    Husfru, husherre → Husbiträde, restauranghusbiträde, hotellhusbiträde


    Huvudman → Fullmaktsgivare, huvudansvarig myndighet


    Idrottsman → Idrottare, idrottsperson


    Jungman → Jungist


    Justeringsman → Justerare


    Kameraman → Kameraoperatör, filmare, fotograf


    Kassör, kassörska → Kassabiträde, kassapersonal, kassaförvaltare


    Krigsman → Krigare


    Köpman, handelsman → Köpesperson, handelsperson


    Lärarinna → Lärare


    Massör, Massös → Masserare, massageterapeut


    Mattant → Bespisningspersonal, måltidsbiträde, bespisare


    Mattant/Städerska (på skola) → Skolmåltidsbiträde, skolbiträde


    Målsman → Vårdnadshavare


    Nunna, munk → Monastiker


    Nämndeman → Nämndeperson, nämndaktör


    Ombudsman → Ombud, ombudsperson


    Polisman → Polis


    Radioman → Radiopratare, radioprogramledare


    Riksdagsman → Riksdagsledamot


    Servitris, servitör → Serverare, serveringspersonal, kypare


    Sjukvårdsman → Sanitär


    Sjöman → Flottist, sjösoldat


    Sjuksköterska/sköterska, akutsjuksköterska, ambulanssjuksköterska, anestesisjuksköterska, barnsjuksköterska, distriktsköterska, intensivvårdssjuksköterska, IVA-sjuksköterska, kirurgsjuksköterska, KOL-sjuksköterska, onkologisjuksköterska, operationssjuksköterska, psykiatrisjuksköterska, röntgensjuksköterska, sjuksköterska inom äldrevården, skolsköterska, specialistsjuksköterska, tandsköterska, undersköterska, ögonsjuksköterska → Sjukskötare, akutsjukskötare, ambulanssjukskötare, anestesisjukskötare, barnsjukskötare, distriktsjukskötare, intensivvårdssjukskötare, IVA-sjukskötare, kirurgsjukskötare, KOL-sjukskötare, onkologisjukskötare, operationssjukskötare, psykiatrisjukskötare, röntgensjukskötare, sjukskötare inom äldrevården, skolsjukskötare, specialistsjukskötare, tandskötare, underskötare, ögonsjukskötare


    Skådespelerska, teaterman → Skådespelare


    Springpojke → Springbud, skickebud, budbärare


    Språkman → Språkperson, språkforskare, lingvist


    Stridsman → Stridare


    Studioman → Studioaktör


    Stuntman → Stuntperson


    Städerska → Städare, städpersonal, städbiträde, lokalvårdare


    Sångerska → Sångare


    Sömmerska → Sömist


    Talesman → Talesperson


    Talman → Talledare


    Tidningsman → Tidningsperson, journalist


    Tjänsteman → Tjänsteperson, handläggare


    Upphovsman → Upphovsperson, upphovsmakare


    Yrkesman → Yrkesperson


    Vaktman → Vakt, väktare


    Vetenskapsman → Forskare


    Våldsman → Våldsverkare


    Ämbetsman → Ämbetsperson


    Överman → Övermotståndare