ö
/øː/common gender
The English word island is ö in Swedish.
ö refers to an area of land completely surrounded by water.
Meaning: area of land completely surrounded by water (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The definite form of ö is ön. For plural forms, öar means islands and the definite plural öarna means the islands.
How do you pronounce it?
/øː/
Did you know?
- Sweden has one of the highest numbers of islands in the world, with over 267 000 öar.
- Swedish geography uses the term skärgård to describe an archipelago, which literally translates to a 'skirt of islands'.
- The English word 'island' actually contains a 'ghost' connection to the same root as the Swedish ö, even though the modern English spelling was changed by mistake in the 16th century.
Examples in context
- Cypern är en ö.Cyprus is an island.This sentence is useful for identifying a country as an ö.Tatoeba #10706014 by Pineapple, translation #6000123 by Hybrid
- Island är en ö.Iceland is an island.Tatoeba #10706015 by Pineapple, translation #6976445 by Hybrid
- Jag äger den ön.I own that island.This sentence is useful for using the definite form ön.Tatoeba #10706010 by Pineapple, translation #5881702 by Catriona
- Den vackra önThe beautiful island
- Många öarMany islands
- Ön i ÖstersjönThe island in the Baltic Sea
- Vi ska åka till ön!Let's go to the island!
- Det här är min favoritöThis is my favorite island
- Den ön är så vackerThat island is so beautiful
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Linnea and Karl are planning a summer trip.
- LinneaSka vi åka till en ö?Should we go to an island?
- KarlJa, det låter som en bra idé.Yes, that sounds like a good idea.
- LinneaJag har hittat en fin ö.I have found a nice island.
- KarlPerfekt, då bokar jag båten.Perfect, then I will book the boat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “island” translations and entries ö, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ö, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
