Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| glad | /ɡlɑː(d)/ |
| lycklig | /lʏkːlɪ(ɡ)/ |
glad is a common and versatile term for expressing happiness in Swedish. For a more profound, long-term state of happiness or life satisfaction, use lycklig. Additionally, the colloquial idiom Glad i hågen is used to describe someone who is in a good mood or happy in spirit.
Which one should you use?
glad is used for temporary moods or being pleased about a specific event, whereas lycklig refers to a deeper, more profound state of happiness. In contrast, lycklig describes a long-term state of being happy or a sense of life satisfaction, rather than a fleeting emotion.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word glad becomes glada when describing plural nouns or using the definite form. The adjective lycklig follows standard Swedish adjective agreement, becoming lyckliga in the plural or definite forms.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡlɑː(d)/
Did you know?
- The idiom glad i hågen literally translates to being 'happy in the hump' or 'happy in the spirit'.
- In Swedish, the concept of 'luck' and 'happiness' is deeply entwined, as lycklig is derived from the word lycka, which means both 'luck' and 'happiness'.
- The word glad actually shares a linguistic root with the concept of 'shining' or 'brightness'.
Examples in context
- Tom ser glad ut.Tom looks happy.This sentence shows how to use glad to describe an appearance.Tatoeba #3853741 by Gosha, translation #2044402 by CK
- Jag är så lycklig!How happy I am!This sentence demonstrates the use of lycklig for an exclamation of great happiness.Tatoeba #921210 by Tximist, translation #28992 by AlanF_US
- Han är så lycklig.He is so happy.This sentence shows a standard use of lycklig to describe a person's state.Tatoeba #9452132 by morbrorper, translation #9452198 by DJ_Saidez
- Är du glad idag?Are you happy today?
- Jag är glad.I am happy.
- Han är glad.He is happy.
- Vi är glada.We are happy.
- Han är lycklig över sitt nya jobb.He is happy about his new job.
- Jag är jättenöjd med mitt nya hus.I am really happy with my new house.
- Jag var glad igår.I was happy yesterday.
- Jag kommer att vara glad imorgon.I will be happy tomorrow.
- Jag är mycket glad.I am very happy.
- Hon är jättenöjd med presenten.She is really happy with the gift.
- 113 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Erik are meeting at a cafe.
- EmmaHej Erik, jag är så glad att du kom!Hi Erik, I am so glad you came!
- ErikTack Emma, jag är också glad att vara här.Thanks Emma, I am also glad to be here.
- EmmaDu ser verkligen glad ut idag.You look really happy today.
- ErikJa, det har varit en jättebra dag.Yes, it has been a great day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy” translations and entries glad, lycklig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries glad, lycklig, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
