chips
/ɕɪps/
The Swedish word for the English phrase "chips" (in the sense of potato crisps) is chips.
chips refers specifically to thin slices of potato that are deep-fried or baked until crunchy, typically the kind sold in bags as potato crisps.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between chips and pommes frites. In Swedish, chips refers to the crunchy potato crisps found in a bag, while pommes frites is the term used for French fries.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɕɪps/
Did you know?
- In Sweden, chips are a central part of the 'fredagsmys' or 'Friday cozy' tradition, where families gather to eat snacks and watch television.
- The term chips is a direct loan from English, but it functions as a 'false friend' for British English speakers who use 'crisps' for the same snack.
- Despite being a loanword from English, the Swedish chips behaves strictly as a singular noun in many contexts, whereas the English original is frequently used in the plural.
Examples in context
- Mina favoritchips är potatischips.My favorite chips are potato chips.
- Jag föredrar chips till middagsmaten.I prefer chips for dinner.
- Kan du köpa hem lite chips?Can you buy some chips?
- Jag köpte några pommes vid snabbmatsrestaurangen.I bought some chips at the fast-food restaurant.
- Kan du hämta lite pommes frites på vägen hem?Can you pick up some chips on your way home?
- Kan jag få lite chips?Can I have some chips, please?
- Kan du köpa chips?Can you buy chips?
- Jag vill ha chips till maten.I want chips with the food.
- Vi köpte två påsar chips.We bought two bags of chips.
Example conversation
Oscar and Linnea are deciding on snacks for a movie.
- OscarSka vi köpa chips?Shall we buy chips?
- LinneaJa, det låter gott, Oscar.Yes, that sounds good, Oscar.
- OscarVilken smak vill du ha?Which flavor do you want?
- LinneaJag föredrar chips med paprika.I prefer paprika chips.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry chips, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chips, CC BY-SA 4.0.
