tante
/ˈtandə/
The Danish word for aunt is tante, which can refer to a parent's sister or sister-in-law. Wiktionary also lists faster and moster.
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| Danish | IPA |
|---|---|
| tante | /ˈtandə/ |
| faster | /fastər/ |
| moster | /mɔstər/ |
Which one should you use?
The word moster is used specifically for a mother's sister.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of tante is tanter. The plural form of moster is mostre. The plural form of faster is fastere.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtandə/
Did you know?
- While tante is a common term for an aunt, it is actually a loanword from French, whereas the more specific terms moster and faster are rooted in Old Norse.
- In some Danish dialects or older usage, tante can be used as a polite or affectionate term for an older woman, even if she is not a biological relative.
- Because of the distinction between moster and faster, a Danish person can instantly tell which side of the family a relative belongs to without further explanation.
Examples in context
- Mary er din tante.Mary is your aunt.This sentence shows how to identify someone as a tante.Tatoeba #12056051 by danepo, translation #12056049 by CK
- Hans tante bor i Østrig.His aunt lives in Austria.This sentence uses the word tante to describe where a relative lives.Tatoeba #2278217 by danepo, translation #2276716 by Hybrid
- Min tante er her allerede.My aunt is already here.This sentence uses tante to indicate a relative's arrival.Tatoeba #6145919 by danepo, translation #6145917 by RobinvanderVliet
- Min moster er en fantastisk kvinde.My aunt is an amazing woman.
- Jeg skal besøge min moster i næste uge.I'm going to visit my aunt next week.
- Moster, kan du hjælpe mig med dette?Aunt, can you help me with this?
- Jeg skal mødes med min tante i morgen.I'm meeting my aunt tomorrow.
- Tante Ingrid bor i Aarhus.Aunt Ingrid lives in Aarhus.
- Tante Hanne er ældre end min mor.Aunt Hanne is older than my mother.
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Mads are looking at old family photos.
- EmmaHvem er kvinden på dette billede?Who is the woman in this picture?
- MadsDet er min tante i Paris.That is my aunt in Paris.
- EmmaEr hun søster til din far?Is she your father's sister?
- MadsJa, hun er en meget sød tante.Yes, she is a very sweet aunt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries tante, faster, moster, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries faster, moster, tante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
