Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hem | /hɛm/ | neuter |
| hus | /hʉːs/ | neuter |
| boning | /ˈbuːˌnɪŋ/ | common gender |
The word hem is the most versatile way to refer to the concept of home. If you are referring to a physical building or structure, use hus. If you are talking about a small apartment or a cozy living space in a casual way, you can use the colloquial term lya.
Which one should you use?
Use hem to refer to the abstract concept of home or the direction of home. In contrast, use hus when you are specifically talking about the physical building or house itself. To describe the state of being 'at home', use the adverb hemma instead of hem.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Hem is a neuter noun. Its plural form is also hem. The definite form of hem is hemmet. While hem is used for movement towards home, the adverb hemma is used to describe the state of staying or being in one's residence.
How do you pronounce it?
/hɛm/
Did you know?
- The word lya for a cozy apartment literally means 'den', the kind of home a fox or other small animal would use.
- While hus usually means 'house', in a biological context it is also the New Latin word for a type of sturgeon fish.
- In Swedish, the word hus can also refer to a 'dynasty' or a noble family line, similar to the English 'House of Windsor'.
Examples in context
- Ska vi gå hem?Are we going home?This sentence is useful for asking about moving toward home with hem.Tatoeba #4317218 by richke, translation #2852256 by CK
- Ska du gå hem?Are you walking home?This sentence is useful for asking about walking toward home with hem.Tatoeba #4317378 by richke, translation #2280263 by CK
- Kan vi gå hem?Can we go home?This sentence is useful for asking about the ability to go toward home with hem.Tatoeba #4320713 by richke, translation #2852108 by CK
- Min bostad är en lägenhet i centrala Stockholm.My home is an apartment in central Stockholm.
- Jag älskar att vara hemma.I love being at home.
- Kom hem till min lya ikväll!Come to my apartment tonight!
- 308 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maja and Lucas are talking about their living arrangements.
- MajaÄr det här ditt nya hem?Is this your new home?
- LucasJa, jag flyttade in i mitt hem igår.Yes, I moved into my home yesterday.
- MajaVilket fint hem du har, Lucas!What a lovely home you have, Lucas!
- LucasTack, jag trivs verkligen här.Thanks, I really feel at home here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “home” translations and entries hem, hus, boning, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hem, hus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
