Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gris | /ɡriːs/ | common gender |
| svin | /sviːn/ | neuter |
Both gris and svin refer to the mammal of the family Suidae. While gris is the standard term for the animal, svin can carry a more derogatory or coarse connotation when used to describe a person, similar to the English word "swine".
Which one should you use?
gris is the common-gender noun used for the animal in most everyday contexts. In contrast, svin is a neuter noun that often has a slightly negative connotation and can be considered rude or insulting when used to describe a person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The common-gender form gris becomes grisen when you want to say "the pig". To speak about more than one animal, the plural form is grisar. The specific verb used to describe the sound a pig makes, such as oinking or grunting, is grymtar.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡriːs/
Did you know?
- The word svin comes from the Proto-Germanic *swīną, which evolved from an ancient Indo-European adjective.
- In a social context, calling someone a svin in Swedish implies they are treacherous or morally bankrupt, not just rude.
- The word svin is a neuter noun, whereas gris is a common-gender noun. This grammatical difference mirrors the different emotional weights the words carry.
Examples in context
- Tom äter som en gris.Tom eats like a pig.This sentence uses the form gris to describe how someone eats.Tatoeba #2047112 by herrsilen, translation #1025851 by CK
- Köp inte grisen i säcken.Don't buy a pig in a poke.This sentence uses the form grisen to illustrate a common Swedish idiom.Tatoeba #10094322 by morbrorper, translation #8991108 by lp233
- Kossan muar, tuppen gal, grisen grymtar, ankan kvackar och katten jamar.The cow moos, the rooster crows, the pig oinks, the duck quacks, and the cat meows.This sentence uses the form grisen to describe the sound the animal makes.Tatoeba #1754504 by loghaD, translation #1424775 by shekitten
- Jordbruket producerar många grisar varje år.The agriculture industry produces many pigs each year.
- Den vilda grisen är ett skyddat djur i Sverige.The wild pig is a protected animal in Sweden.
- Våra grannar har ett stort vitt svin på sin bondgård.Our neighbors have a big white pig on their farm.
- Kanske kan jag få smaka på den grillade svinfilén?Maybe I can taste the grilled pork tenderloin?
- Min son älskar djur och älskar att mata grisarna på bondgården.My son loves animals and enjoys feeding the pigs on the farm.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alice and Lucas are visiting a farm.
- AliceTitta, Lucas! Där är en liten gris.Look, Lucas! There is a little pig.
- LucasÅh, den är verkligen söt.Oh, it is really cute.
- AliceTror du att grisen vill ha mat?Do you think the pig wants food?
- LucasJa, den ser väldigt hungrig ut.Yes, it looks very hungry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pig” translations and entries gris, svin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gris, svin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
