varg
/varj/common gender
The Swedish word for wolf is varg. Wiktionary also lists ulv.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| varg | /varj/ | common gender |
| ulv | /ɵlv/ | common gender |
Both varg and ulv refer to the animal.
Which one should you use?
varg is the standard, most common word for the animal in Swedish.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun varg is a common-gender noun. Its definite form, meaning 'the wolf', is vargen. The plural form for 'wolves' is vargar, and the genitive plural form for 'the wolves'' is vargarnas.
How do you pronounce it?
/varj/
Did you know?
- The word varg originally meant 'criminal' or 'destroyer' rather than the animal itself. It was eventually used as a substitute for the word 'wolf' to avoid the bad luck associated with speaking the animal's true name.
- While varg is the standard term today, ulv is the direct linguistic relative of the English word 'wolf'.
- In old Swedish law, the term varg was used to describe outlaws who were stripped of their legal rights and treated like wild animals.
Examples in context
- Tom är en ulv i fårakläder.Tom is a wolf in sheep's clothing.This sentence shows how to use the form ulv in an idiom.Tatoeba #9302010 by morbrorper, translation #9289482 by CK
- Vargtimmen kallas timmen mellan natt och gryning.The hour between night and dawn is called the hour of the wolf.This sentence uses the form varg to describe a specific time of day.Tatoeba #4194196 by richke, translation #4300448 by Lindoula
- Jag tror att den här biskopen är en varg i fårakläder.I think this bishop is a wolf in sheep's clothing.This sentence uses the form varg within an idiom about a person's character.Tatoeba #4335552 by richke, translation #2792193 by spiritofwonder
- Jag såg en varg i skogen idag!I saw a wolf in the forest today!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Linnea are walking in a forest.
- LucasTitta, där borta ser jag en varg!Look, I see a wolf over there!
- LinneaVar är den, Lucas?Where is it, Lucas?
- LucasDen står vid den stora stenen.It is standing by the big stone.
- LinneaÅh, den vargen ser farlig ut.Oh, that wolf looks dangerous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wolf” translations and entries varg, ulv, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ulv, varg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
