ocean
common gender
The English word 'ocean' is translated into Swedish as ocean or världshav.
Meaning: one of the large bodies of water (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | Note |
|---|---|
| ocean | common gender |
| världshav | neuter |
Both terms refer to large bodies of water. ocean is the standard word used in everyday conversation, while världshav specifically refers to the global ocean system.
What does it mean word for word?
The term världshav is a compound noun consisting of värld, meaning 'world' and hav, meaning 'sea' or 'ocean'.
Which one should you use?
ocean is the common term used in general speech. In contrast, världshav is a more precise, scientific or formal term used to describe the world ocean system.
How does it change in a sentence?
The common-gender form ocean can be used in the definite singular as oceanen (the ocean) or in the plural as oceaner (oceans). The neuter form världshav has the definite plural form världshaven (the oceans/the world oceans).
Did you know?
- Sweden's geography leads to a linguistic distinction where the Baltic Sea is called Östersjön, using the word sjö for 'lake' instead of hav or ocean.
- The Swedish word ocean is a loanword from the French océan, which is why it follows different phonetic patterns than the native Germanic words for water.
- Swedish speakers rarely use ocean to describe the water surrounding Sweden, preferring the word hav for 'sea'. ocean is typically reserved for the vast bodies of water far beyond the Nordic region.
Examples in context
- Jag älskar att titta ut över havet när solen går ner.I love looking out over the ocean as the sun sets.
- Så fort vi når kusten, kan vi se det stora havet sträcka sig långt framför oss.As soon as we reach the coast, we can see the great ocean stretching out before us.
- Låt oss åka till stranden och simma i havet idag.Let's go to the beach and swim in the ocean today.
- Skärgården här erbjuder vackra vyer och många möjligheter att segla över det öppna havet.The archipelago here offers beautiful views and many opportunities to sail across the open ocean.
Example conversation
Linnea and Karl are looking at a world map.
- LinneaTitta på den här stora oceanen!Look at this huge ocean!
- KarlÄr det Atlanten du menar, Linnea?Do you mean the Atlantic, Linnea?
- LinneaJa, det är en fantastisk ocean.Yes, it is a fantastic ocean.
- KarlJag vill gärna resa dit någon gång.I would love to travel there sometime.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ocean” translations and entries ocean, världshav, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
