pojke
/²pɔjkɛ/common gender
The English word 'boy' is translated into Swedish as pojke. Wiktionary also lists kille.
Meaning: male child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pojke | /²pɔjkɛ/ | common gender |
| kille | /²kɪlːɛ/ /²kɪlɛ/ |
common gender |
The term is used to refer to a male child. You may also encounter the related word gosse, which can be used as an interjection to express surprise or pleasure.
Which one should you use?
While pojke is the standard word for a male child, kille is a more informal term used for boys or young men, similar to the English word 'guy'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Pojke is the standard, common-gender form. Kille is an informal alternative used to mean 'boy' or 'guy'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word pojke follows common-gender rules. Its plural form is pojkar, and to say 'the boy', you add the suffix '-n' to get pojken. For the informal term, the plural definite form is killarna.
How do you pronounce it?
/²pɔjkɛ/
Did you know?
- While kille is used today to mean 'boy' or 'guy', its linguistic roots are connected to the word for a goat's kid.
Examples in context
- Vem är den pojken?Who is that boy?This sentence is useful for identifying a specific boy using pojke.Tatoeba #9349058 by morbrorper, translation #67978 by CK
- De såg efter pojken.They looked after the boy.This sentence demonstrates how to say 'the boy' using pojke.Tatoeba #893290 by Tximist, translation #305797 by CK
- Du är inte en pojke.You're not a boy.This sentence uses pojke to express a negation.Tatoeba #3011695 by ajje, translation #2988452 by shekitten
- Ynglingen gick längs med den gamla bron.The young lad was walking along the old bridge.
- Hon är tillsammans med en trevlig kille.She is together with a nice guy.
- Kom igen, gosse! Vi ska spela fotboll.Come on, lad! We are going to play football.
- 54 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alice and Erik are watching children play in a park.
- AliceVilken söt liten pojke!What a cute little boy!
- ErikJa, pojken ser ut att ha roligt.Yes, the boy looks like he is having fun.
- AliceÄr han din brorson?Is he your nephew?
- ErikNej, han är bara en pojke i grannskapet.No, he is just a boy in the neighborhood.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boy” translations and entries pojke, kille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kille, pojke, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
