konungr
/ˈkonunɡɹ̝/masculine
The English phrase 'king' is translated into Old Norse as konungr. Wiktionary also lists kongr.
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Old Norse | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| konungr | /ˈkonunɡɹ̝/ (Norse, West, obsolete) /ˈkonunɡr/ |
masculine |
| kongr | masculine |
The word refers to a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
How does it change in a sentence?
konungr is a masculine noun. In the singular, its genitive form is konungs and its dative form is konungi. For plural forms, use konungar for the nominative plural and konunga for the accusative or genitive plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkonunɡɹ̝/
Did you know?
- In some Old Norse legal contexts, a konungr had to be formally acclaimed by the people at a 'thing' or assembly to be legitimate.
- Old Norse poetry often avoided the word konungr in favor of 'kennings', such as calling a king a 'ring-giver' to highlight his role in rewarding loyal warriors.
- In Viking Age Scandinavia, the title konungr did not always imply a single ruler over a whole nation but often described a local warlord or petty king.
Examples in context
- Konungr ann syni sínum.The king loves his son.This sentence is useful for seeing the word konungr used as a subject.Tatoeba #12431566 by Barend, translation #12431567 by Barend
- Konungr gat son við sinni konu.The king had a son with his wife.This sentence demonstrates the use of konungr in a simple sentence.Tatoeba #12431562 by Barend, translation #12431564 by Barend
- Aðalsteinn konungr lét skíra Hákon.King Athelstan had Hákon baptised.This sentence shows how to use konungr when identifying a specific person.Tatoeba #12433300 by Barend, translation #12433301 by Barend
- Hann er góðr konungr.He is a good king.
- Konungrinn réði rétt.The king ruled justly.
- Sá konungr er dýrðlastr af öllum.That king is the most glorious of all.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Bjorn and Astrid are discussing the news of the kingdom.
- BjornHvar er konungr nú?Where is the king now?
- AstridKonungr er í höllinni.The king is in the hall.
- BjornEr hann góðr konungr?Is he a good king?
- AstridJá, hann er góðr konungr.Yes, he is a good king.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations and entries konungr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
