nötkött
neuter
The English word beef is translated into Swedish as nötkött.
nötkött is the general term used to refer to beef as a type of meat.
Meaning: meat (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word nötkött is a compound of nöt (cattle) and kött (meat).
Which one should you use?
While nötkött is the general term for beef, nöt alone refers to the animal (cattle) itself. Additionally, biff is often used to refer specifically to a beef steak or a beef-based dish, whereas nötkött is the generic term for the meat type.
Did you know?
- In Swedish, the word biff is also used as a slang term for a muscular, well-built person, similar to how English speakers might use 'beefy'.
- Swedish cuisine features Köttbullar, which are beef meatballs. While they are often made with a mix of beef and pork, calling them 'beef meatballs' is the standard way to describe them globally.
- Although biff sounds identical to the English 'beef', it is actually a loanword from the English term 'beef', adapted into Swedish phonology.
Examples in context
- Vill du ha lite mer nötkött?Would you like some more beef?The first sentence is useful for asking if someone would like more of the form nötkött.Tatoeba #2242907 by Tximist, translation #31298 by CK
- Jag köpte grönsaker, nötkött och smör.I bought vegetables, beef and butter.The second sentence is useful for listing items bought, such as nötkött.Tatoeba #4435310 by richke, translation #5119634 by honestlang
- Kyckling är billigt, men nötkött smakar bättre.Chicken is cheap, but beef tastes better.The third sentence is useful for comparing the taste of chicken to the form nötkött.Tatoeba #10932714 by Pineapple, translation #10929178 by CK
- Jag skulle gärna vilja ha ett stycke nötkött, tack.I would like to have a piece of beef, please.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alice and Lucas are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- AliceSka vi laga något med nötkött ikväll?Shall we cook something with beef tonight?
- LucasJa, det låter bra, Lucas.Yes, that sounds good, Lucas.
- AliceHar vi något nötkött i frysen?Do we have any beef in the freezer?
- LucasNej, jag måste köpa mer.No, I have to buy more.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beef” translations and entries nötkött, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
