sju
/ɧʉː/
The Swedish word for seven is sju.
sju is the cardinal number used for counting or stating the quantity of something.
Meaning: cardinal number 7 (num)
Which one should you use?
Use sju when you are counting or expressing a quantity. In contrast, use the noun sjua when you are referring to the figure seven itself or a playing card that bears the value seven.
Is it said differently in some regions?
sju is the universal term used nationwide in Sweden.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ɧʉː/
Did you know?
- In Swedish culture, the phrase sju sorters kakor refers to the custom of serving 'seven types of cookies' to guests to show hospitality and status.
- The pronunciation of sju involves a unique sound called the 'sj-sound' that is often described as a whistling or breathy noise produced in the back of the throat.
- The Swedish word sju is a distant relative of the English word 'seven', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *septḿ̥.
Examples in context
- Hon har sju söner.She has seven sons.This sentence demonstrates using sju to express a quantity of sons.Tatoeba #8393502 by morbrorper, translation #640686 by jakov
- Vi ska mötas vid sju.We are to meet at seven.This sentence shows how to use sju when referring to a specific time.Tatoeba #925338 by Tximist, translation #262681 by CN
- Sju minus två är fem.Seven minus two is five.This sentence illustrates using sju within a mathematical context.Tatoeba #11231031 by Pineapple, translation #7977018 by deniko
- Jag skulle vilja beställa sju exemplar av den nya boken, tack.I would like to order seven copies of the new book, please.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alice and Karl are at a bakery looking at pastries.
- AliceHur mycket kostar sju bullar?How much do seven buns cost?
- KarlDe kostar sjuttio kronor.They cost seventy kronor.
- AliceOkej, jag tar sju stycken.Okay, I will take seven of them.
- KarlDet blir sjuttio kronor, tack.That will be seventy kronor, thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “seven” translations and entries sju, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sju, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
