Gender neutral language in Swedish
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.
- 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). Föräldrasyskon and försyskon can be used both as a collective word for one's parents' sibling(s) and to designate a parent's sibling(s) as gender-neutral. Försyskon is suitable as an alternative among moster, faster, morbror and farbror.
- 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.
- Respektive. Neutral. Means respective.
- 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
Italic words are innovative nonstandard words.
- 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
