faster
common gender
The English word "aunt" can be translated into Swedish. The default form is faster. Wiktionary also lists moster and tant.
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| faster | common gender | |
| moster | /ˈmʊˌstɛr/ /ˈmʊstɛr/ |
common gender |
| tant | /tant/ | common gender |
Which one should you use?
The word moster specifically refers to a maternal aunt (mother's sister).
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'the aunt' (maternal), you add the definite suffix -n to moster to get mostern. To say 'the aunt's' (paternal), you use the definite form fastern and add the genitive suffix -s to get fasterns.
Did you know?
- The word faster contains the Old Swedish root faþur, which is the ancestor of the modern word for 'father'.
- While faster and moster describe a biological relationship, tant is often used as a polite term for any older woman.
- Swedish has distinct words for maternal and paternal aunts, but does not have a similar split for the word 'uncle'.
Examples in context
- Min faster bor i ett ensamt beläget hus på landet.My aunt lives in a detached house in the countryside.This sentence shows the use of faster in a sentence about a house.Tatoeba #8946586 by morbrorper, translation #9306083 by Lillith
- Tom bor med sin faster.Tom lives with his aunt.This sentence shows the use of faster in a sentence about living arrangements.Tatoeba #4751724 by Barra, translation #4751212 by Hybrid
- Min moster brukade jobba på posten.My aunt used to work at the post office.This sentence shows the use of moster in a sentence about a former job.Tatoeba #11480403 by janTuki, translation #11475836 by carlosalberto
- Jag ska träffa moster Sofia idagI am going to meet Aunt Sofia today
- Min faster Maria bor i StockholmMy aunt Maria lives in Stockholm
- Fru Andersson är min mosterMrs. Andersson is my aunt
- Jag träffade min kusins tant igårI met my cousin's aunt yesterday
- Hej, jag ska träffa min faster imorgon.Hi, I'm going to meet my aunt tomorrow.
- Åh, din moster Carolina?Oh, your aunt Carolina?
- Nej, min faster på pappas sida, Maria.No, my paternal aunt Maria.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oscar and Maja are talking about their family tree.
- OscarVem är den här kvinnan på bilden?Who is this woman in the picture?
- MajaDet är min faster, hon heter Anna.That is my aunt, her name is Anna.
- OscarÄr hon din pappas syster?Is she your father's sister?
- MajaJa, hon är min favoritfaster.Yes, she is my favorite aunt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries faster, moster, tant, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries faster, moster, tant, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
