sötnos
common gender
The English word 'cutie' is translated into Swedish as sötnos. Wiktionary also lists sötis.
Meaning: cute person or animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | Note |
|---|---|
| sötnos | common gender |
| sötis | common gender |
The terms used for 'cutie' are used to refer to a cute person or animal.
What does it mean word for word?
sötnos is a compound of söt (sweet) and nos (nose), which literally means 'sweet nose'. sötis is formed by adding the suffix '-is' to the adjective söt, a common way in Swedish to create colloquial nouns.
Which one should you use?
sötnos is often used as a term of endearment for children or pets, whereas sötis is a more general colloquial term for a cute person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
sötnos is an informal expression. sötis is a colloquial and more informal way to refer to a cute person. Other informal terms include gullunge and gulleplutt.
How does it change in a sentence?
The genitive or possessive form of sötnos is sötnosens.
Did you know?
- Because sötnos focuses on a facial feature, using it for an adult can sometimes feel more patronizing than the English 'cutie'.
- The suffix '-is' in sötis is a common linguistic tool in Swedish used to turn almost any adjective into a playful, informal noun.
- In Swedish, the word söt can describe both a person's character as 'sweet' and their physical appearance as 'cute', which are sometimes distinct concepts in English.
Examples in context
- Peter är verkligen en riktig sötis.Peter is truly a real cutie.
- Vilka söta ungar! De är verkligen sötungar.What cute kids! They are real cuties.
- Sofia är verkligen en riktig gullunge.Sofia is truly a real cutie.
- Vad tycker du om min nya hund? Jag tycker att han är en sötnos.What do you think of my new dog? I think he's a cutie.
- Kom hit, gulleplutt! Du ser så söt ut idag.Come here, cutie! You look so cute today.
- Vilken liten sötnos!What a little cutie!
- Din hund är en riktig sötnos.Your dog is a real cutie.
- Titta på den där lilla sötnos.Look at that little cutie.
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are looking at a kitten in a window.
- EmmaTitta på den lilla katten, vilken sötnos!Look at that little kitten, what a cutie!
- LucasJa, hon är verkligen söt.Yes, she is really cute.
- EmmaKan vi få hälsa på den sötnosen?Can we say hello to that cutie?
- LucasDet tror jag att vi kan.I think we can.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cutie” translations and entries sötnos, sötis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
