morfar
common gender
The Swedish word for grandpa can be morfar or farfar depending on which side of the family he is from.
Meaning: grandfather (informal) (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | Note |
|---|---|
| morfar | common gender |
| farfar | common gender |
Both morfar and farfar are informal nouns used to refer to a grandfather. You can use them in phrases such as min morfar (my grandpa), min farfar (my grandpa) or vår morfar (our grandpa).
What does it mean word for word?
The word morfar is a compound made of mor, meaning mother and far, meaning father.
Which one should you use?
Swedish distinguishes between the two sides of a person's lineage. Use morfar specifically to refer to your maternal grandfather (your mother's father), and use farfar specifically to refer to your paternal grandfather (your father's father).
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to multiple grandfathers, morfar becomes morfäder and farfar becomes fäder. Both forms are common-gender nouns.
Did you know?
- The Swedish system of using farfar and morfar extends to grandmothers too, using farmor for the father's mother and mormor for the mother's mother.
- The word 'mor' in 'morfar' is a more formal or poetic way of saying 'mother', whereas 'mamma' is the common term used in everyday speech.
- The word morfar is derived from the Old Norse term móðurfaðir, which literally combines the words for 'mother' and 'father'.
Examples in context
- Min morfar är sjuk.My grandpa is sick.This sentence is useful for describing a grandfather's health using morfar.Tatoeba #10667939 by Pineapple, translation #5343670 by lolawesome65
- Grattis på födelsedagen, farfar.Happy birthday, Grandpa.This sentence is useful for addressing a grandfather directly using farfar.Tatoeba #12097057 by johanrhg, translation #2650908 by meerkat
- Vi är oroliga för mormor och morfar.We're worried about Grandma and Grandpa.This sentence is useful for expressing concern about a grandfather using morfar.Tatoeba #3008994 by ajje, translation #247158 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oscar and Maja are looking at old family photos.
- OscarVem är det här på bilden?Who is this in the picture?
- MajaDet är min morfar när han var ung.That is my grandpa when he was young.
- OscarHan ser väldigt glad ut.He looks very happy.
- MajaJa, morfar är alltid glad.Yes, grandpa is always happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandpa” 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.
