kung
/kɵŋː/common gender
The Swedish word for king is kung. Wiktionary also lists konung and drott.
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| kung | /kɵŋː/ | common gender |
| konung | /ˈkoːˌnɵŋ/ | archaic |
| drott |
The term refers to a male member of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of a nation. In informal contexts, kung can also be used to convey excellence or mastery.
Which one should you use?
kung is the standard form, while konung is an archaic version primarily found in older literature or religious texts. The word drott is also an archaic form of king.
How does it change in a sentence?
The genitive (possessive) form of kung is kungens. The plural definite form (the kings) is kungarna.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɵŋː/
Did you know?
- The phrase kung i buren literally means 'king in the cage' and describes someone who has prestige but no freedom.
- The archaic word drott is derived from a Proto-Germanic word meaning 'leader of a war band' or 'company'.
- Sweden's current monarch holds the title kung, but his role is entirely ceremonial with no actual political power.
Examples in context
- Saul var konung av Israel.Saul was the king of Israel.This sentence shows the use of the archaic form konung in a historical context.Tatoeba #12100316 by johanrhg, translation #10841371 by Luornu
- Isus föddes under kung Herodots tid.Jesus was born in the time of King Herod.This sentence demonstrates the use of kung to refer to a specific historical figure.Tatoeba #6196974 by Ivana, translation #6217251 by Gulliver
- Självaste konungen stod framför oss.The king himself was standing before us.This sentence uses the word konung to refer to the king in a narrative context.Tatoeba #12105364 by johanrhg, translation #11217460 by ddnktr
- Carl XVI Gustaf är en enastående kung som älskar sitt folk.Carl XVI Gustaf is an extraordinary king who loves his people.
- Wow, du är verkligen kung på att spela gitarr!Wow, you're really a king at playing the guitar!
- Efter många års slit blev han äntligen kung för dagen.After years of hard work, he finally became king for the day.
- Den historiska kungen levde på 1300-talet.The historical king lived in the 14th century.
- Min bror är min hjälte och kung.My brother is my hero and king.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are watching a historical documentary on TV.
- LinneaSer du den där kungen i filmen?Do you see that king in the film?
- KarlJa, han ser väldigt mäktig ut.Yes, he looks very powerful.
- LinneaKarl, vet du vad han heter?Karl, do you know his name?
- KarlJag är inte säker, tyvärr.I am not sure, unfortunately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations and entries kung, konung, drott, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries drott, konung, kung, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
