fan
/faːn/
In Swedish, 'damn' is expressed as fan.
fan is a slang term used as an interjection to express frustration or contempt, roughly equivalent to the English 'damn' or 'damn it'.
Meaning: non-vulgar expression of contempt etc. (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, fan means 'the devil'.
Which one should you use?
While fan is often used as a standalone interjection, the related word jävla is more commonly used as an adjective to intensify other words, such as in 'jävla bra' (damn good).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an interjection to express frustration, fan does not change its form based on the sentence structure.
How do you pronounce it?
/faːn/
Did you know?
- The word fan is a homonym that can mean 'the devil', a 'banner', or a 'supporter' depending on the context.
- While fan is used to express frustration, its oldest roots actually come from a word meaning 'to search' or 'to examine'.
- The phrase fan is part of a wider group of Swedish swear words that historically refer to the devil or hell, reflecting the influence of Lutheranism on the language.
Examples in context
- Fan vilken bra låt!Damn, what a great song!This example shows how fan can be used to express enthusiasm for a song.
- Fan (också)! Jag glömde nycklarna.Damn! I forgot my keys.This example shows how to use fan to express frustration about forgetting something.
- Det här är förbannat svårtThis is damn hard
- Fan också!Damn it!
- Åh, helvete!Oh, damn!
- Fan, det var dyrt.Damn, that was expensive.
Example conversation
Alice and Oscar are waiting for a bus that is late.
- AliceBussen är sen igen, fan.The bus is late again, damn.
- OscarJa, det är alltid så här.Yes, it is always like this.
- AliceNu kommer jag försent till jobbet.Now I'm going to be late for work.
- OscarDet löser sig säkert, Alice.I'm sure it will work out, Alice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “damn” translations and entries fan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
