Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| kissa | /ˈkɪsˌa/ |
| pissa | |
| pinka | |
| nummer ett | /¹nɵmɛr ɛt/ (word by word) |
The verb is used to describe the act of urinating.
Which one should you use?
kissa is the standard, everyday term. pissa is a coarser and more vulgar version. pinka is a more childish or euphemistic way to say it. Finally, nummer ett is a euphemism used to refer to urinating, similar to the English phrase 'number one'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In neutral or informal everyday situations, use kissa. For a much coarser or vulgar tone, you might hear pissa. If you want to sound more childish or use a gentler euphemism, use pinka or the phrase nummer ett. In very formal or medical contexts, one would use urinera or the phrase Utföra en urinering.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb kissa conjugates as follows: the present tense is kissar and the past participle is kissat.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkɪsˌa/
Did you know?
- While kissa is neutral, the coarser pissa is used in a common Swedish idiom, pissa i motvind, which literally means 'to pee in a headwind' and describes fighting a losing battle.
- The vulgar term pissa likely traveled from Old French pissier through Middle Low German before arriving in Sweden during the 16th century.
- The verb kissa is thought to be onomatopoeic, meaning it was created to mimic the actual sound of the action.
Examples in context
- Jag måste kissa.I need to pee.This sentence demonstrates how to express the need to pee using kissa.Tatoeba #10114343 by morbrorper, translation #3379282 by aengelberg
- Jag måste pinka.I have to pee.This sentence shows a way to express the need to pee using pinka.Tatoeba #10114388 by morbrorper, translation #6599419 by Eccles17
- Ursäkta mig, jag behöver urinera.Excuse me, I need to pee.
- Jag måste kissa innan vi går.I need to pee before we leave.
- Akta dig, annars kissar du på dig!Be careful, or you'll pee on yourself!
- Vänta på mig, jag måste gå på toa.Wait for me, I need to go to the toilet.
- Han behöver kissa.He needs to pee.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Linnea are taking a break during a long walk.
- LucasVi måste stanna, jag behöver kissa.We have to stop, I need to pee.
- LinneaDet finns en toalett där borta.There is a toilet over there.
- LucasTack, jag springer dit nu.Thanks, I'm running there now.
- LinneaJag väntar på dig här.I will wait for you here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pee” translations and entries kissa, pissa, pinka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (nummer, ett) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ett, kissa, nummer, pinka, pissa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
