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
To refer to people in general in Swedish, the pronouns "man/en/en" (one/one/one’s) or "en/en/ens" (one/one/one’s) can be used. Swedish’s generic pronoun man/en/ens has been discussed for being androcentric, and some people have opted to use en/en/ens instead to make it gender inclusive. The word "man" may have the meaning of "human" in addition to the meaning "male person", but this word is still more associated with male people. Using "en" instead of "man" is not only more gender-inclusivity through being non-male-generalizing, but it is also frequently practiced in some of Sweden's regions, so it is a natural grammatical dialect variation in the Swedish language.
Family and relationship words
Parents
- Förälder. Neutral, formal, standard. Means parent.
- Päron. Neutral, slang/standard. Means “one's folk(s)” in plural and in singular.
- Älder. Neutral, formal, nonstandard. An abbreviation of förälder.
- Förre. Neutral, informal, nonstandard. Förre is a simplification of the word förälder. It provides a parental alternative that can be used to refer to a parent completely gender-neutral.
- Föffe. Neutral, informal, nonstandard. Föffe is a simplification of the word förälder. It provides a parental alternative that can be used to refer to a parent completely gender-neutral. Föffe is also a good alternativ to the words matte (female pet-owner) and husse (male pet-owner).
- Mappa. Neutral, informal, nonstandard. Mappa is a combination of mamma (mom) and pappa (dad). This provides and alternative that is both similar to and retain the comfortable factor that children otherwise associate with the parental words mamma and pappa.
- Pamma. Neutral, informal, nonstandard. Pamma is a combination of mamma (mom) and pappa (dad). This provides and alternative that is both similar to and retain the comfortable factor that children otherwise associate with the parental words mamma and pappa.
- Wawa. Neutral, informal, nonstandard. Wawa is pronounced with "English w:s". Wawa is similar to mamma (mom) and pappa (dad) in that it consists of repetitive phonemes that are physically easy for smaller children to pronounce. Wawa is a good addition among the Swedish parental words as it provides a completely gender-neutral alternative with similarities of mamma and pappa that do not have an origin in the gender binary.
*The first name of a person may be preferred instead of using a specific parental word.
- Medföräldern. Neutral, formal, standard. Means co-parent. This term can be used gender-inclusive, but it's a matter of preference for each individual. Some people do not want to be gendered, some do, what the person sees as most appropriate should be respected.
- Gravida/Gravida personer. Neutral, formal, standard. Means pregnant people. This term can be used instead of "pregnant women" as a gender-inclusive term, but it's a matter of preference for each individual, some people do not want to be gendered, some do, what the person sees as most appropriate should be respected.
- Födande föräldern/gravida föräldern. Neutral, formal, standard. Means "birthing parent/pregnant parent". This term can be used instead of "the mother" as a gender-inclusive term but also without designating a parental status for surrogates, but it's a matter of preference for each individual, some people do not want to be gendered, some do, what the person sees as most appropriate should be respected.
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. Förförälder can be used both as a collective word for grandparents, but also to designate a parent's parent as gender-neutral. Förföräldrar also serves as an alternative word to förfäder (forefathers). Förförälder is not included in modern dictionaries, but förföräldrar are mentioned in SAOB (The Swedish Academy's dictionary).
- Förför. Neutral, nonstandard. Means grandy/grandma/grandpa. Förför ought to be pronounced with "short ö:s" to not confuse it with the word "förför" which means "seduce" (which is pronounced with s short first ö and long second ö). Förför is an alternative that fits well together in the pattern of mormor (maternal mother, standard), farmor (paternal mother, standard), morfar (maternal father, standard) and farfar (paternal father, standard).
- 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 an alternative that fits well together in the pattern of moster (maternal sister, standard), faster (paternal sister, standard), morbror (maternal brother, standard) and farbror (paternal brother, standard).
- 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 family, relationship and people words
- Vuxen. Neutral, standard. Means adult.
- Gamling. Neutral, standard. Means elderly person.
- Gudbarn. Neutral, standard. Means godchild.
- Gudförälder/Fadder. Neutral, standard. Means godparent.
- Vännen. Neutral, standard. Means "the friend" but can be used as a gender-neutral alternativ to gumma respektive gubbe, which are juvenile terms alike English's buddy/kid. (While gumma and gubbe can be used in a juvenile way, they also mean old-woman and old-man respectively)
- 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. Prin provides a completely gender-neutral alternative to princess and prince. It can be used to designate a royal person's child or consort as gender-neutral. The married partner of a prin is called pringemål. Kronprin is used to designate a royal heir as gender-neutral.
- Regent/Monark/Majestät. Neutral, standard. Means regnant, monarch, majesty, queen/king.
- Regentgemål. Neutral, standard. Means regnant consort.
- 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”.
- Person/personer med vagina-slida-vulva/äggstockar/äggceller/livmoder-uterus/mens/bröst/testiklar/pung/prostata/penis/sädesceller-spermier, barnbärande/barnhavande, ammande, graviditets blivbar, målbrottspåverkade, ansiktsbehårade etc.
...Means person/people with vagina-vulva/ovaries/egg cells-ova/womb-uterus/periods/breasts/testicles/scrotum/prostate/penis/sperm cells-sperm, childbearing/pregnant people, breast feeding people, pregnancy-able, voice change/voice break affected, people with facial hair.
...These terms are more clinical terms for people with these things, this is for the inclusion of those who are gender diverse or have other variations i.e. both women and men with varied functions, and both trans and intersex people.
Other words
- B’nei mitzvah/B’nai mitzvah (plural)/B mitzvah. Neutral, nonstandard. Gender-neutral alternative to bat mitzvah and bar mitzvah.
- Vuxendom/Vuxenskap. Neutral, standard. Means adulthood and can be used as a gender-neutral alternative to womandhood and manhood.
- Föräldraskap. Neutral, standard. Means parenthood and can be used as a a gender-neutral alternative to motherhood and fatherhood.
- Syskonskap/Kamratskap/Gemenskap/Samfund. Neutral, standard. Means siblinghood/camaraderie/community and can be used as a gender-neutral alternative to brotherhood and sisterhood.
- Polttare. Neutral, semi-standard loanword from Finnish. Means bach party and can be used as a gender-neutral alternative to bachelorette party and bachelor party.
- Parriarkat. Neutral, nonstandard. This refers to matriarchal and/or patriarchal social systems. See the English parriarch with the prefix parr- (kin).
- Allesrätt. Neutral, nonstandard. Neutral non-androgeneralizing alternative for "allemansrätt" ("all-man's-right", right of public access)
- Besättning/Personal/Rekrytering-Personalbesättning. Neutral, standard-nonstandard. Means staff/crew/recuitment and can be used as non-androgeneralizing alternatives for bemanning ("manning").
- Elvaspelsplan. Neutral, standard. Means eleven-payers-field and can be used as a non-androgeneralizing alternative for "elvamannaplan" (eleven-man's-field).
- Enpersonsjobb. Neutral, will be understood. Means one-person's-jobb and can be used as a non-androgeneralizing alternative for "enmansjobb" (one-man's-job).
- Gemene folk/personer/människor. Neutral, will be understood. Means "people/persons/humans in general" and can be used as non-androgeneralizing alternatives for "gemene man" (common man).
- Gudom/Gud. Neutral, standard. Means deity/god and can be used as gender-neutral terms instead of separating gud (god) and gudinna (godess).
- Starkast på täppan, högst på täppan. Neutral, will be understood. Means Strongest/Highest on the Hill and can be used as gender-inclusive alternatives to refer to the game commonly called "Herren på Täppan/Herreman på Täppan" (Lord/Lordman on the Hill).
- Härskarvälde. Neutral, standard. Means reign/rulerreign/rulership and can be use as a non-androcentric alternative to "herravälde" ("male-"lordreign).
- Huskost/Hushållskost. Neutral, will be understood. Means house/household-diet/cuisine (traditional home cooked food) and can be used as a non-androgeneralizing alternative for "husmanskost" (house-man's-diet/cuisine).
- Rojal. Neutral, will be understood. Means royal and can be used as a non-androgeneralizing alternative for "kunglig" (meaning royal but is formed like "kingly").
- LEGO-figur/LEGO-minifigur. Neutral, standard. Means LEGO-figure/LEGO-minifigure and can be used as a non-androgeneralizing alternative for "LEGO-gubbe" (LEGO-man).
- Lekperson/Lekfolk. Neutral, standard. Means layperson/laypeople and can be used as a non-androgeneralizing alternative for "lekman/lekmän" (layman/laymen).
- Arbetsstyrka/Arbetskraft, teamstyrka/lagstyrka, personalstyrka. Means workforce-team/staff/crew strength/force/power and can be used as non-androgeneralizing alternatives for "manstyrka" (man power).
- Snöfigur/Snövän/Snöperson. Neutral, will be unserstood. Means snowfigure/snowfriend/snowperson and can be used as non-androgeneralizing alternatives for "snögubbe" (snowman).
- Karaktär. Neutral, standard. Means character/playing-character and can be used as non-androgeneralizing alternatives for "spelgubbe/gubbe" (playing-man/man).
- Förtrollare/Trollkonstnär/Förhäxare/Häxkonstnär/Magiker. Neutral. Means enchanter/enchantment artist/bewitcher/witchcrafter-witchcraft artist/magician and can be used as non-androgeneralizing alternatives for "trollkarl" (magic/enchanter-man, warlock/wizard). They can also be used to avoid the feminine connotation to häxa (witch).
Professions & roles
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
