vatten
/¹vatːɛn/neuter
The English word water is translated into Swedish as vatten. Wiktionary also lists vätur.
Meaning: inorganic compound H₂O (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vatten | /¹vatːɛn/ | neuter |
| vätur | obsolete |
vatten refers to the inorganic compound H₂O. You can use it to form various specific terms, such as Kranvatten (tap water), Mineralvatten (mineral water) and Regnvatten (rainwater). It is also used in compounds describing water from different sources, such as Havs-/Sjö-/Flodvatten (seawater, lake water or river water).
Which one should you use?
vatten is the standard modern form, while vätur is an obsolete version of the word.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As an uncountable mass noun, vatten is used for both singular and plural counts. The word is neuter. To specify 'the water', use the definite form vattnet.
How do you pronounce it?
/¹vatːɛn/
Did you know?
- If you are ordering a drink in Sweden, asking for just vatten will often result in a glass of tap water being served for free.
- The obsolete form vätur is a linguistic sibling to the English word 'water', sharing the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root.
- The Swedish word for 'waterproof' is vattentät, which literally translates to 'water-tight'.
Examples in context
- De vill ha vatten.They want water.This sentence shows how to express a desire for vatten.Tatoeba #11547049 by Pineapple, translation #9033239 by shekitten
- Ge mig lite vatten.Give me some water.This sentence shows how to request some vatten.Tatoeba #4339978 by richke, translation #3959610 by felvideki
- Här är lite vatten.Here is some water.This sentence shows how to present vatten.Tatoeba #4343826 by richke, translation #2975853 by KiwiCreme
- Kan jag få lite vatten, tack?Can I have some water, please?
- Kranvattnet i Sverige är säkert att dricka.Tap water in Sweden is safe to drink.
- Har du sett hur klart sjövattnet är här?Have you seen how clear the lake water is here?
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Erik and Emma are eating dinner together.
- ErikKan jag få mer vatten?Can I have more water?
- EmmaSjälvklart, här är kannan.Of course, here is the pitcher.
- ErikTack, jag är väldigt törstig.Thanks, I am very thirsty.
- EmmaJag ska hämta mer vatten snart.I will get more water soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “water” translations and entries vatten, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vatten, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
