idiot
/ɪdɪˈuːt/common gender
The Swedish word for idiot is idiot. Wiktionary also lists narr.
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| idiot | /ɪdɪˈuːt/ | common gender |
| narr | common gender |
The term describes a person of low general intelligence. For a more informal way to describe someone who is acting foolishly or is simply strange, you might use knäppgök, which translates to weirdo or nutcase.
Which one should you use?
While idiot is a common insult, narr is an archaic or literary term meaning a fool or a jester.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word idiot is a common-gender noun. Its definite form is idioten (the idiot), its plural is idioter (idiots) and its definite plural genitive form is idioternas (the idiots').
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪdɪˈuːt/
Did you know?
- The word idiot is actually a distant relative of the English word 'idiosyncrasy'. Both come from the Greek word for 'private' or 'one's own'.
- The term narr refers to the historical court jester, a professional fool who often used humor to tell truths that others were too afraid to say to the king.
- In older Swedish literature, a narr was not always hated but was often a trickster figure used to expose the hypocrisy of the upper class.
Examples in context
- Du är en idiot.You're an idiot.This sentence shows how to call someone an idiot using idiot.Tatoeba #1960228 by herrsilen, translation #461945 by tamsanh
- Är du en idiot?Are you an idiot?This sentence is a question asking if someone is an idiot using idiot.Tatoeba #2015576 by herrsilen, translation #1886357 by CK
- Han är en idiot.He is an idiot.This sentence describes someone else as an idiot using idiot.Tatoeba #11199623 by Pineapple, translation #4987741 by Zurich899
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a clumsy person they saw at the cafe.
- LinneaVilken idiot han var.What an idiot he was.
- ErikJa, han var verkligen en idiot.Yes, he truly was an idiot.
- LinneaHan spillde ju på hela bordet.He spilled things all over the table.
- ErikDet var verkligen pinsamt.That was really embarrassing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations and entries idiot, narr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries idiot, narr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
