vad i helvete?
The English phrase "what the hell" can be translated into Swedish in several ways, most commonly as vad i helvete? Wiktionary also lists vad tusan? and vad fan.
Meaning: an intensive form of what (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| vad i helvete? | |
| vad tusan? | /vɑːd ²tʉːsan/ (word by word) |
| vad fan | /vɑːd faːn/ (word by word) |
| vafan | /väˈfäːn/ /vɑˈfɑːn/ |
These phrases serve as intensive forms of the question word vad (what) to express strong surprise, shock, frustration or disbelief.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase vad i helvete? is a literal translation of "what in hell".
Which one should you use?
Vad fan is the standard way to use an intensifier in a question, while vafan is a colloquial contraction of vad fan very common in spoken Swedish. Vad i helvete? conveys extreme disbelief, shock or anger, whereas vad tusan? is a milder alternative.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Vad i helvete? and vad fan are informal. The contraction vafan is also informal and spoken. In contrast, vad tusan? is a more polite and milder option.
How does it change in a sentence?
While vad fan is the standard form for an intensifier in a question, vafan acts as its spoken contraction.
Did you know?
- The swear word fan comes from a word meaning 'to tempt', originally referring to someone or something that searches or examines.
Examples in context
- Vad fan är det där?What the hell is that?This sentence uses vad fan to ask about an object.Tatoeba #4159679 by richke, translation #1183788 by Scott
- Vad fan håller du på med?What the hell are you doing?This sentence uses vad fan to question someone's actions.Tatoeba #4159680 by richke, translation #432291 by JnRouvignac
- Vad i helvete?What the hell?This sentence uses vad i helvete? to express disbelief.Tatoeba #10749436 by Pineapple, translation #7790860 by MrSener95
- Vad fan, Jonas! Var försiktig!What the hell, Jonas! Be careful!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what the hell” translations and entries vad fan, vafan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (vad, tusan, fan) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fan, helvete, tusan, vad, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
