morfar
common gender
In Swedish, the English phrase grandfather is expressed using either morfar or farfar depending on which side of the family the person is from.
Meaning: grandfather (from either side) (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | Note |
|---|---|
| morfar | common gender |
| farfar | common gender |
Swedish uses specific terms to distinguish between a maternal and paternal grandfather. Use morfar to refer to your maternal grandfather and farfar to refer to your paternal grandfather.
What does it mean word for word?
The word morfar is a compound formed from mor (mother) and far (father).
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, which uses the same word for both sides of the family, Swedish requires you to specify whether the grandfather is a maternal or paternal figure by choosing between morfar and farfar.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate possession, such as 'grandfather's', you add an 's' to the end of the word, resulting in forms like morfars or farfars. Both words are common-gender nouns.
Did you know?
- The word mor in morfar is a formal or poetic term for 'mother' rather than the common everyday word mamma.
- The term farfar relies on the Old Norse root faðir, making these common family terms much older than many other modern Swedish nouns.
- Swedish has similar specific terms for grandmothers: farmor for the paternal side and mormor for the maternal side.
Examples in context
- Jag gillar min farfar.I like my grandfather.This sentence shows how to express affection for a farfar.Tatoeba #10745841 by Pineapple, translation #8926494 by CK
- Min farfar hör lite dåligt.My grandfather is a bit hard of hearing.This sentence uses farfar to describe a physical trait.Tatoeba #927702 by Tximist, translation #65095 by CK
- Jag tar hand om min farfar.I take care of my grandfather.This sentence demonstrates using farfar in the context of caregiving.Tatoeba #927706 by Tximist, translation #65097 by CK
- Jag träffade min farfar igår.I met my grandfather yesterday.
- Vi ska fira min morfar imorgon.We are going to celebrate my grandfather tomorrow.
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oscar and Emma are looking at old family photos.
- OscarVem är mannen på bilden?Who is the man in the photo?
- EmmaDet är min morfar.That is my grandfather.
- OscarVar bor din morfar nu?Where does your grandfather live now?
- EmmaHan bor i Göteborg.He lives in Gothenburg.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandfather” translations and entries morfar, farfar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries farfar, morfar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
