Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| den | /dɛnː/ /rɛnː/ |
common gender |
| den där | common gender | |
| det | /dɛː/ /deː/ |
neuter |
The word is used to indicate what is being indicated (det). For example, den and den där refer to things of the common gender, while det refers to things of the neuter gender or acts as a generic pronoun for a situation.
Which one should you use?
While den means "that", you should use den där to specifically indicate a particular object that is further away from the speaker. Similarly, while det means "that", det där is used to specifically indicate a particular neuter object that is further away from the speaker.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The choice of form depends on the gender of the noun being referred to. Use den when "that" refers to a noun of common gender (en-words). Other related forms include denna for "that thing" and the conjunctions så att or för att which are used to connect a clause indicating purpose.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation for den is /dɛnː/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use det for all instances of "that". To be correct, you must choose between den and det based on the gender of the noun being referred to.
Did you know?
- While den and det distinguish gender, the word där used in den där is the same word used for 'there'. Literally, saying 'that one' in Swedish is like saying 'the there one'.
- In spoken Swedish, det is frequently shortened to just a 'd' sound when it follows another word. This can make 'that' almost disappear during a natural conversation.
- The word det comes from the Old Norse þat, which used the character 'thorn' (þ) to represent a sound similar to the English 'th'.
Examples in context
- När sa du det?When did you say that?This example is useful for asking about the timing of a statement using the form det.Tatoeba #2122609 by herrsilen, translation #1886658 by CK
- Är det där Tom?Is that Tom?This example is useful for identifying someone using the form det.Tatoeba #1970848 by herrsilen, translation #1886899 by CK
- Hur vet du det?How do you know that?This example is useful for questioning the source of knowledge using the form det.Tatoeba #2096037 by herrsilen, translation #436111 by lukaszpp
- De böckerna är intressanta.Those books are interesting.
- Filmen var så där.The movie was so-so.
- 1447 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Oscar are looking at a specific book on a table.
- EmmaÄr den här boken din?Is this book yours?
- OscarNej, den är inte min.No, that is not mine.
- EmmaSer du den där?Do you see that one?
- OscarJa, jag ser den.Yes, I see it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “that” translations and entries den, den där, det, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries den, det, där, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
