Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| vacker | /ˈvak.kɛr/ |
| fin | /fiːn/ |
| skön | /ɧøːn/ |
In Swedish, different words are used to describe attractiveness depending on whether you are emphasizing profound aesthetic beauty, casual prettiness or a pleasant sensation.
Which one should you use?
While vacker refers to beauty in a more profound or aesthetic sense, fin is used more casually to mean 'nice' or 'pretty'. Skön is often used to describe something that is pleasant, lovely or feels good, such as the weather or a physical feeling, rather than strictly visual beauty.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its ending based on the gender of the noun it modifies and whether the noun is singular or plural. Use vacker for en-words, vackert for ett-words and vackra for plural nouns or definite forms.
How do you pronounce it?
The word vacker is pronounced /ˈvak.kɛr/. It has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The Swedish word vacker shares its origin with the English word 'wake'. It originally meant 'watchful' or 'brave' in Old Norse.
- In a social context, calling a stranger fin is a safe, polite compliment, whereas vacker can feel intensely romantic or poetic.
Examples in context
- Du är så vacker.You're so beautiful.This sentence demonstrates how to use vacker to describe a person.Tatoeba #5007345 by herrsilen, translation #1895571 by CK
- Din kam är vacker.Your comb is beautiful.This sentence shows the use of vacker to describe an object.Tatoeba #10664893 by Pineapple, translation #8814781 by shekitten
- Du ser så vacker ut.You look so beautiful.This sentence illustrates how vacker can be used to describe an appearance.Tatoeba #2122636 by herrsilen, translation #1895713 by CK
- Vad skön du är ikväll!How beautiful you look tonight!
- Du ser verkligen snygg ut i den klänningen!You look really beautiful in that dress!
- Den här tårtan ser ljuvlig ut!This cake looks delightful!
- 80 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oscar and Emma are standing on a balcony overlooking a valley.
- OscarTitta på den vackra dalen.Look at the beautiful valley.
- EmmaJa, den är verkligen vacker.Yes, it is truly beautiful.
- OscarDu ser också mycket vacker ut idag.You also look very beautiful today.
- EmmaTack, vad snällt av dig.Thank you, that's sweet of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beautiful” translations and entries vacker, fin, skön, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fin, skön, vacker, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
