Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sjö | /ɧøː/ | common gender |
| insjö | /ˈɪnːˌɧøː/ | common gender |
| tjärn | /ɕɛːɳ/ | neuter |
| vatten | /¹vatːɛn/ | neuter |
The primary way to refer to a body of water like a lake is with sjö. You can use this word in common phrases such as fiska i sjön (to fish in the lake) or segla på sjön (to sail on the lake). Additionally, the term sjölandskap is used to express the concept of a 'lake district'.
Which one should you use?
While sjö is the general term for any lake, insjö specifically refers to an inland lake and is often used in geographical or technical contexts to distinguish it from coastal waters. If you are describing a much smaller, often shallower, remote or mountain lake (such as a tarn or a small forest pond), use tjärn. The word vatten is a neuter noun.
How does it change in a sentence?
sjö is a common-gender noun. Its plural form is sjöar. To specify 'the lake' in the definite singular, you add the suffix '-n' to the word to create sjön.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɧøː/
Did you know?
- The Swedish word sjö is a linguistic relative of the English word 'sea'.
- The word sjö is used in Swedish to describe both a lake and the open sea in certain nautical contexts.
- The term sjölandskap describes a landscape dominated by lakes, a concept reflecting Sweden's geography of nearly one million lakes.
Examples in context
- Sjön är mycket djup.The lake is very deep.This sentence describes the depth of the lake using sjö.Tatoeba #3644561 by KajsaKavat, translation #482141 by CK
- Han drunknade i sjön.He drowned in the lake.This sentence uses sjö to describe an event occurring in the lake.Tatoeba #10712315 by Pineapple, translation #9561743 by dzouras
- Sjön ser ut som ett hav.That lake looks like an ocean.This sentence compares the appearance of the lake to an ocean using sjö.Tatoeba #1962458 by herrsilen, translation #1962025 by HououinKyouma
- Jag älskar att bada i sjön på sommaren.I love swimming in the lake in the summertime.
- Sverige har många vackra insjöar.Sweden has many beautiful lakes.
- Vättern är en av Sveriges största sjöar.Vättern is one of Sweden's largest lakes.
- Ska vi picknicka vid sjön imorgon?Shall we have a picnic by the lake tomorrow?
- Vad mysigt det är vid den lilla tjärnen!How cozy it is by that small lake!
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maja and Karl are walking in the forest.
- MajaSer du den där sjön?Do you see that lake?
- KarlJa, den är väldigt vacker.Yes, it is very beautiful.
- MajaSka vi bada i sjön?Shall we swim in the lake?
- KarlDet låter som en bra idé.That sounds like a good idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lake” translations and entries sjö, insjö, tjärn, vatten, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries insjö, sjö, tjärn, vatten, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
