syster
/²sʏsːtɛr/common gender
The Swedish word for sister is syster.
The word refers to a woman or girl who has the same parents as another person.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
Which one should you use?
While syster is the standard term, you may encounter Syrra, which functions as an informal shorthand similar to the English word 'sis'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form syster has several variations depending on how it is used in a sentence. The definite singular form, meaning 'the sister', is systern. The plural form is systrar. To indicate possession by multiple sisters, such as 'the sisters'', use the definite plural genitive form systerns.
How do you pronounce it?
/²sʏsːtɛr/
Did you know?
- In Swedish, syster is also the word for 'nurse'. While the medical profession is now often called sjuksköterska, the term syster is still commonly used in hospitals.
- While syster refers to a female sibling, Swedish uses the gender-neutral word syskon to refer to 'siblings' in general, regardless of gender.
- The informal term syrra is used not only for biological sisters but can also be used affectionately between very close female friends.
Examples in context
- Såg du min syster?Did you see my sister?This sentence is useful for asking if someone saw the speaker's syster.Tatoeba #3601509 by loghaD, translation #3601129 by Jesse
- Det är min syster.That is my sister.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as the speaker's syster.Tatoeba #10661030 by Pineapple, translation #1803045 by CC
- Är hon din syster?Is she your sister?This sentence is useful for asking if a woman is the listener's syster.Tatoeba #11057270 by SilasNordgren, translation #310274 by CK
- Min syster är en fantastisk personMy sister is an amazing person
- Hej syrra, hur har du det?Hey sis, how are you?
- 57 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alice and Oscar are talking about their family members.
- AliceHar du en syster?Do you have a sister?
- OscarJa, jag har en syster.Yes, I have a sister.
- AliceÄr din syster mycket äldre?Is your sister much older?
- OscarNej, hon är yngre än jag.No, she is younger than me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries syster, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
