man
/man/
The Swedish word for man is man. If unsure, use man. Wiktionary also lists karl.
Meaning: adult male human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| man | /man/ /ˈmɑːn/ |
|
| karl | /kɑːr/ | common gender |
The word man is used to refer to an adult male human. It is the standard term for this biological and social category.
Which one should you use?
While man refers to an adult male human, the term karl is often used to refer to a man in a more generic or sometimes more rugged and informal sense.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/man/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the noun man (meaning an adult male) with the indefinite pronoun man (meaning one, you or people). Although they are spelled the same in Swedish, they serve different grammatical functions.
Did you know?
- While man is the standard word for a male human, the word karl is a cognate of the English word 'churl', which originally meant a free peasant.
- The word karl has a historical connection to the 'Karls' who were free men in the Norse social hierarchy, distinct from both slaves and nobles.
- The Swedish indefinite pronoun man functions similarly to the French on or the German man, allowing speakers to avoid saying 'I' or 'you'.
Examples in context
- Jag är man nu.I'm a man now.This sentence demonstrates the use of man to state a personal status.Tatoeba #3784437 by herrsilen, translation #3737009 by CK
- Du är en bra man.You are a good man.This sentence uses man to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #9419504 by morbrorper, translation #2766192 by holomanga
- Kom hit, unge man.Come here, young man.This sentence uses man in a direct address to a young person.Tatoeba #4323839 by richke, translation #2731706 by sharptoothed
- 134 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alice and Karl are talking about a person they saw in the park.
- AliceSåg du den där mannen?Did you see that man?
- KarlJa, han var en stor man.Yes, he was a large man.
- AliceHan såg ut som en vän.He looked like a friend.
- KarlNej, han var en främling.No, he was a stranger.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” translations and entries man, karl, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries karl, man, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
