advent

advent (indefinite nominative uncountable)
adventet (definite nominative uncountable)
advents (genitive indefinite uncountable)
adventets (definite genitive uncountable)

→ Finnish: adventti

From Old Swedish advent, borrowed from Latin adventus (“arrival, approach”). Compare Swedish åtkomst.


alla hjärtans dag

Saint Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day


jul

jul (indefinite nominative singular)
julen (definite nominative singular)
jular (indefinite nominative plural)
jularna (definite nominative plural)
juls (genitive indefinite singular)
julens (definite genitive singular)
julars (genitive indefinite plural)
jularnas (definite genitive plural)

From Old Swedish iūl, from Old Norse jól, from Proto-Germanic *jehwlą. First attested in the late 13th century.
Cognate with English Yule, Danish jul, Estonian jõulud, Finnish joulu, Faroese jól, Icelandic jól, Norwegian jul, and Scots Yule.

etydate

Fjorton dagar före Jul friade pastorn till den blonda och fick nej!

1877, August Strindberg, Från Fjerdingen och Svartbäcken, page 8

Fourteen days before Christmas, the pastor proposed to the blonde and got a no!

När nätterna blir långa och kölden sätter in, tar mamma mus och samlar hela barnaskaran sin. Hon visar sen på fällan: "Akta er för den, så får vi allesammans fira jul igen." Hejsan hoppsan, fallerallera, när julen kommer ska varenda unge vara gla' [glad]! Hejsan hoppsan, fallerallera, när julen kommer ska varenda unge vara gla' [glad]!

1946, “Mössens julafton (När nätterna blir långa) [The mice's Christmas Eve (When the nights get long)]”, Ulf Peder Olrog (lyrics), Alf Prøysen (music)

When the nights get long and the cold sets in, then mother mouse goes and gathers her whole group of children. She then points [directs, more generally] to the trap: "Beware of that one, and we will all get to celebrate Christmas again." Hidy howdy, fallerallera [expression of exhilaration, often in song], when [the] Christmas comes, every kid should be happy! Hidy howdy, fallerallera, when [the] Christmas comes, every kid should be happy!

”Vi måste ju till exempel träffas i jul, det är ju en del av livet och det är viktigt för vårt välbefinnande att vi får träffa varandra, bara vi tänker på att inte smitta någon som är sårbar”, säger han [statsepidemiologen].

2023 December 11, Magnus Liljesköld, “Fortsatt ökad spridning av trippelsmittan väntas i jul [Continued increased spread of the triple infection is expected during Christmas.]”, in Sveriges Radio

"We must, for example, meet during Christmas; it's a part of life and crucial for our well-being that we get to meet each other. We just need to be mindful not to infect anyone who is vulnerable," he [the state epidemiologist] says.

julbord

Christmas smorgasbord; see there for dishes

Kalle Anka

a Christmas TV special broadcast every Christmas Eve

uppesittarkväll

pre-Christmas special broadcast on December 23


god jul och gott nytt år

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year


julgransfot

julgransfot (indefinite nominative singular)
julgransfoten (definite nominative singular)
julgransfötter (indefinite nominative plural)
julgransfötterna (definite nominative plural)
julgransfots (genitive indefinite singular)
julgransfotens (definite genitive singular)
julgransfötters (genitive indefinite plural)
julgransfötternas (definite genitive plural)

a small pot in which a Christmas tree is placed


julgran

julgran (indefinite nominative singular)
julgranen (definite nominative singular)
julgranar (indefinite nominative plural)
julgranarna (definite nominative plural)
julgrans (genitive indefinite singular)
julgranens (definite genitive singular)
julgranars (genitive indefinite plural)
julgranarnas (definite genitive plural)

From jul (“Christmas”) + gran (“spruce tree”), used since 1844.


julklapp

julklapp (indefinite nominative singular)
julklappen (definite nominative singular)
julklappar (indefinite nominative plural)
julklapparna (definite nominative plural)
julklapps (genitive indefinite singular)
julklappens (definite genitive singular)
julklappars (genitive indefinite plural)
julklapparnas (definite genitive plural)

→ German: Julklapp

Vad önskar du dig i julklapp?

What do you want for Christmas? ("What do you want as a Christmas present?")

Jag fick den i julklapp


julafton

julafton (indefinite nominative singular)
julaftonen (definite nominative singular)
julaftnar (indefinite nominative plural)
julaftnarna (definite nominative plural)
julaftons (genitive indefinite singular)
julaftonens (definite genitive singular)
julaftnars (genitive indefinite plural)
julaftnarnas (definite genitive plural)

Inherited from Old Swedish iūla aptan, equivalent to jul (“Christmas”) + afton (“eve”).

Christmas Eve (day before Christmas Day)


långfredag

långfredag (indefinite nominative singular)
långfredagen (definite nominative singular)
långfredagar (indefinite nominative plural)
långfredagarna (definite nominative plural)
långfredags (genitive indefinite singular)
långfredagens (definite genitive singular)
långfredagars (genitive indefinite plural)
långfredagarnas (definite genitive plural)


röd dag

röd dag (indefinite nominative singular)
röda dagen (definite nominative singular)
röda dagar (indefinite nominative plural)
röda dagarna (definite nominative plural)
röd dags (genitive indefinite singular)
röda dagens (definite genitive singular)
röda dagars (genitive indefinite plural)
röda dagarnas (definite genitive plural)

A red letter day; a Sunday or a holiday; a day on which a festival, religious event, or national celebration is traditionally observed, and which is declared free from work by the government.


jultomte

jultomte (indefinite nominative singular)
jultomten (definite nominative singular)
jultomtar (indefinite nominative plural)
jultomtarna (definite nominative plural)
jultomtes (genitive indefinite singular)
jultomtens (definite genitive singular)
jultomtars (genitive indefinite plural)
jultomtarnas (definite genitive plural)

From jul (“Christmas”) + tomte (type of brownie from Nordic folklore). First attested in 1864.

compound

(usually in the definite "jultomten") Santa Claus, a Christmas-time gift-bearer


namnsdag

namnsdag (indefinite nominative singular)
namnsdagen (definite nominative singular)
namnsdagar (indefinite nominative plural)
namnsdagarna (definite nominative plural)
namnsdags (genitive indefinite singular)
namnsdagens (definite genitive singular)
namnsdagars (genitive indefinite plural)
namnsdagarnas (definite genitive plural)


arbetsvecka

arbetsvecka (indefinite nominative singular)
arbetsveckan (definite nominative singular)
arbetsveckor (indefinite nominative plural)
arbetsveckorna (definite nominative plural)
arbetsveckas (genitive indefinite singular)
arbetsveckans (definite genitive singular)
arbetsveckors (genitive indefinite plural)
arbetsveckornas (definite genitive plural)


knäck

knäck (indefinite nominative singular)
knäcken (definite nominative singular)
knäckar (indefinite nominative plural)
knäckarna (definite nominative plural)
knäcks (genitive indefinite singular)
knäckens (definite genitive singular)
knäckars (genitive indefinite plural)
knäckarnas (definite genitive plural)

From knäcka (“to crack”), from the sound hard knäck makes when you crack it with your teeth.

A traditional Swedish toffee prepared at Christmas


nymåne

nymåne (indefinite nominative singular)
nymånen (definite nominative singular)
nymånar (indefinite nominative plural)
nymånarna (definite nominative plural)
nymånes (genitive indefinite singular)
nymånens (definite genitive singular)
nymånars (genitive indefinite plural)
nymånarnas (definite genitive plural)


skärtorsdag

skärtorsdag (indefinite nominative singular)
skärtorsdagen (definite nominative singular)
skärtorsdagar (indefinite nominative plural)
skärtorsdagarna (definite nominative plural)
skärtorsdags (genitive indefinite singular)
skärtorsdagens (definite genitive singular)
skärtorsdagars (genitive indefinite plural)
skärtorsdagarnas (definite genitive plural)

From Old Swedish skǣrþōrsdagher. By surface analysis, skär (“pure; clean”) + torsdag. Cognate with Danish skærtorsdag, Middle English Schyre Thursday, Icelandic skírdagur.


midsommar

midsommar (indefinite nominative singular)
midsommaren (definite nominative singular)
midsomrar (indefinite nominative plural)
midsomrarna (definite nominative plural)
midsommars (genitive indefinite singular)
midsommarens (definite genitive singular)
midsomrars (genitive indefinite plural)
midsomrarnas (definite genitive plural)

Inherited from Old Swedish miþsumar. Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk midtsumar and Norwegian Bokmål midtsommer, but has a slightly different sense.


adventsljusstake

adventsljusstake (indefinite nominative singular)
adventsljusstaken (definite nominative singular)
adventsljusstakar (indefinite nominative plural)
adventsljusstakarna (definite nominative plural)
adventsljusstakes (genitive indefinite singular)
adventsljusstakens (definite genitive singular)
adventsljusstakars (genitive indefinite plural)
adventsljusstakarnas (definite genitive plural)

Compound of advent (“Advent”) + ljusstake (“candlestick”).

compound

a candlestick with room for four candles, lit one by one every Sunday during Advent


julmust

julmust (indefinite nominative uncountable)
julmusten (definite nominative uncountable)
julmusts (genitive indefinite uncountable)
julmustens (definite genitive uncountable)

Compound of jul (“Christmas”) + must (“must, non-fermented juice”)

a dark, carbonated soft drink containing hop and malt extract, drunk during Christmas


halmbock

halmbock (indefinite nominative singular)
halmbocken (definite nominative singular)
halmbockar (indefinite nominative plural)
halmbockarna (definite nominative plural)
halmbocks (genitive indefinite singular)
halmbockens (definite genitive singular)
halmbockars (genitive indefinite plural)
halmbockarnas (definite genitive plural)

Compound of halm (“straw”) + bock (“buck”).

a goat made out of straw, a common Christmas decoration


påskmust

påskmust (indefinite nominative uncountable)
påskmusten (definite nominative uncountable)
påskmusts (genitive indefinite uncountable)
påskmustens (definite genitive uncountable)

Compound of påsk (“Easter”) + must (“must, non-fermented juice”)

”Öh ...”, sa Bulle. ”Kan vi få pyttelite påskmust även om det inte finns något att fira?”

2017, Jo Nesbø, translated by Barbro Lagergren., Kan doktor Proktor rädda julen?

”Uh ...”, said Bulle. ”Could we have a tiny bit of påskmust even if there's nothing to celebrate?”

a dark carbonated soft drink containing hop and malt extract, drunk during Easter

julmust

the same drink when drunk during Christmas


julgranskula

julgranskula (indefinite nominative singular)
julgranskulan (definite nominative singular)
julgranskulor (indefinite nominative plural)
julgranskulorna (definite nominative plural)
julgranskulas (genitive indefinite singular)
julgranskulans (definite genitive singular)
julgranskulors (genitive indefinite plural)
julgranskulornas (definite genitive plural)

/²jʉ̟ːlɡrɑːnsˌkʉ̟ːla/

Compound of julgran (“Christmas tree”) + kula (“ball, globe”)


lillejulafton

lillejulafton (indefinite nominative singular)
lillejulaftonen (definite nominative singular)
lillejulaftnar (indefinite nominative plural)
lillejulaftnarna (definite nominative plural)
lillejulaftons (genitive indefinite singular)
lillejulaftonens (definite genitive singular)
lillejulaftnars (genitive indefinite plural)
lillejulaftnarnas (definite genitive plural)

From lille- (“little”) + julafton (“Christmas Eve”). Compare Danish lillejuleaften.

prefix

Vit lillejulafton i västra Skåne, och chans att snön ligger kvar även på julafton.

2018, Emma Leijnse, “Ny prognos: Drömmen lever om en vit jul i Skåne [New prognosis: The dream of a white Christmas is alive in Scania]”, in Sydsvenskan

A white day before Christmas Eve, and a chance that the snow stays also on Christmas Eve.

(dialectal, Southern) the day before Christmas Eve


dopparedagen

/²dɔparɛˌdɑːɡɛn/

Compound of doppare (“dipper, soaker”) + dagen (“the day”) from doppa (“to dip, soak”), and the definite form of dag (“day”). From the Christmas Eve practice of soaking bread in the stock from the Christmas ham. See dopp i grytan.

compound

Man räknade dagen före dagen före dagen före dopparedagen redan en hel vecka före jul.

1940, Fredrik Ström, Min ungdoms strider, page 45

One counted the day before the day before the day before Christmas Eve already a whole week before Christmas.
(literally, “One counted the day before the day before the day before dipping-day already a whole week before Christmas.”)

Oron var stor att beställda paket inte skulle komma fram i tid till julafton. Men enligt Postnord har de nått mottagaren innan dopparedagen.

2017 December 30, TT News Agency, “Postnord: Julpaketen hann fram i tid [Postnord: The Christmas packages arrived on time.]”, in Svenska Dagbladet

The concern was significant that the ordered packages wouldn't arrive in time for Christmas Eve. However, according to Postnord, they reached the recipient before Christmas Eve.
(literally, “The concern was significant that the ordered packages wouldn't arrive in time for Christmas Eve. However, according to Postnord, they reached the recipient before dipping-day.”)


julspel

julspel (indefinite nominative singular)
julspelet (definite nominative singular)
julspel (indefinite nominative plural)
julspelen (definite nominative plural)
julspels (genitive indefinite singular)
julspelets (definite genitive singular)
julspels (genitive indefinite plural)
julspelens (definite genitive plural)


sommarsolstånd

sommarsolstånd (indefinite nominative uncountable)
sommarsolståndet (definite nominative uncountable)
sommarsolstånds (genitive indefinite uncountable)
sommarsolståndets (definite genitive uncountable)


vintersolstånd

vintersolstånd (indefinite nominative uncountable)
vintersolståndet (definite nominative uncountable)
vintersolstånds (genitive indefinite uncountable)
vintersolståndets (definite genitive uncountable)


dubbellön

2014 December 12, Mikael Grill Pettersson, Carolina Jemsby, “Sida-chefens dubbellön kan strida mot lagen”, in SVT Nyheter

The Sida manager's double salary may be against the law

Dels är det mycket turister här, dels är det dubbellön. Hur mycket händelsen kostat butiken kan han inte svara på i dag.

2019 July 29, “Brandrök tvingade butikerna på handelsplatsen att stänga: ”Pratar miljonbelopp””, in Market

Not only are there a lot of tourists here, it is also double payday. How much the incident cost the store he can not answer today.

the coincidence of two, otherwise separate, paydays


våffeldag

våffeldag (indefinite nominative singular)
våffeldagen (definite nominative singular)
våffeldagar (indefinite nominative plural)
våffeldagarna (definite nominative plural)
våffeldags (genitive indefinite singular)
våffeldagens (definite genitive singular)
våffeldagars (genitive indefinite plural)
våffeldagarnas (definite genitive plural)

Compound of våffla (“waffle”) + dag (“day”). A jocular folk etymological transition from vårfrudagen (“Lady Day”). According to SAOB attested since 1888.

"Våffeldagen" i tisdags var likasom en försmak af det stora, veckolånga skollof, hvilket i alla rättänkande skolgossar och skolflickors (vi hade så när sagdt äfven skollärares) ögon utgör den förnämsta epoken i hvarje vårtermin.

28 Mar 1879, “Krönika.”, in Vesternorrlands Allehanda.

"Waffle Day" last Tuesday was like a foretaste of the large, week-long school holiday, which in the eyes of all right-thinking schoolboys and schoolgirls (and we on the brim nearly included schoolteachers) constitutes the most important epoch in each spring term.

(chiefly in the definite) waffle day, Lady Day; a day when waffles are traditionally eaten


tranafton

Medan det smällde i knutarna på tranafton och barnen rände utklädda på gatorna, sutto gamla mormor och jag framför brasan.

1904 March 26, Adrion, “Påskhistorier”, in Värmlands Dagblad

While the firecrackers echoed around the corner on Crane Eve and children ran on the streets dressed up, old grandmother and I sat in front of the fire.

Crane Eve, the eve before trandag (“Crane Day”)


trandag

trandag (indefinite nominative singular)
trandagen (definite nominative singular)
trandagar (indefinite nominative plural)
trandagarna (definite nominative plural)
trandags (genitive indefinite singular)
trandagens (definite genitive singular)
trandagars (genitive indefinite plural)
trandagarnas (definite genitive plural)

(chiefly in the definite) Crane Day; a celebration day for the return of the cranes and sunlight


passionsveckan

head

passionsveckan c (genitive passionsveckans)

passion + -s- + vecka. Compare English Passion Week.

Holy Week (the week leading to Easter Sunday)


stilla veckan

stilla veckan c (genitive stilla veckans)


dymmelveckan

From Old Swedish dymbilvika. By surface analysis, dymmel + vecka. The name comes from the tradition in Scandinavia to replace metal clappers in the church bells with dowels in order to give them a more muted sound. Cognate with Icelandic dymbilvika, dymbildagavika, Danish dimmeluge.

(dated) Holy Week (the week leading to Easter Sunday)


dymmelonsdag

dymmelonsdag (indefinite nominative singular)
dymmelonsdagen (definite nominative singular)
dymmelonsdagar (indefinite nominative plural)
dymmelonsdagarna (definite nominative plural)
dymmelonsdags (genitive indefinite singular)
dymmelonsdagens (definite genitive singular)
dymmelonsdagars (genitive indefinite plural)
dymmelonsdagarnas (definite genitive plural)

dymmel + onsdag. The name comes from the tradition in Scandinavia to replace metal clappers in the church bells with dowels in order to give them a more muted sound.

Holy Wednesday (the Wednesday before Easter Sunday)


fettisdag

fettisdag (indefinite nominative singular)
fettisdagen (definite nominative singular)
fettisdagar (indefinite nominative plural)
fettisdagarna (definite nominative plural)
fettisdags (genitive indefinite singular)
fettisdagens (definite genitive singular)
fettisdagars (genitive indefinite plural)
fettisdagarnas (definite genitive plural)

fet (“fat”) + tisdag (“Tuesday”). Compare English Fat Tuesday, French mardi gras.

(usually in the definite "fettisdagen") Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Lent)


påskafton

påskafton (indefinite nominative singular)
påskaftonen (definite nominative singular)
påskaftnar (indefinite nominative plural)
påskaftnarna (definite nominative plural)
påskaftons (genitive indefinite singular)
påskaftonens (definite genitive singular)
påskaftnars (genitive indefinite plural)
påskaftnarnas (definite genitive plural)

Holy Saturday (Saturday immediately after Good Friday)


midsommarafton

midsommarafton (indefinite nominative singular)
midsommaraftonen (definite nominative singular)
midsommaraftnar (indefinite nominative plural)
midsommaraftnarna (definite nominative plural)
midsommaraftons (genitive indefinite singular)
midsommaraftonens (definite genitive singular)
midsommaraftnars (genitive indefinite plural)
midsommaraftnarnas (definite genitive plural)

From Old Swedish miþsumars aptan, equivalent to midsommar + afton.

Midsummer Eve (the Friday occurring on or between June 19 and June 25)


pingst

pingst (indefinite nominative singular)
pingsten (definite nominative singular)
pingstar (indefinite nominative plural)
pingstarna (definite nominative plural)
pingsts (genitive indefinite singular)
pingstens (definite genitive singular)
pingstars (genitive indefinite plural)
pingstarnas (definite genitive plural)

Inherited from Old Swedish pinxte, pinxta, from Ancient Greek πεντηκοστή (pentēkostḗ). Cognate German Pfingsten.


julmusik

julmusik (indefinite nominative uncountable)
julmusiken (definite nominative uncountable)
julmusiks (genitive indefinite uncountable)
julmusikens (definite genitive uncountable)

Vissa affärer börjar spela julmusik redan i november.

Some stores begin to play Christmas music as early as November.


trettondagsafton

trettondagsafton (indefinite nominative singular)
trettondagsaftonen (definite nominative singular)
trettondagsaftnar (indefinite nominative plural)
trettondagsaftnarna (definite nominative plural)
trettondagsaftons (genitive indefinite singular)
trettondagsaftonens (definite genitive singular)
trettondagsaftnars (genitive indefinite plural)
trettondagsaftnarnas (definite genitive plural)


trettondag

trettondag (indefinite nominative singular)
trettondagen (definite nominative singular)
trettondagar (indefinite nominative plural)
trettondagarna (definite nominative plural)
trettondags (genitive indefinite singular)
trettondagens (definite genitive singular)
trettondagars (genitive indefinite plural)
trettondagarnas (definite genitive plural)

From Old Swedish þrættande dagher, equivalent to tretton + dag.


vörtbröd

vörtbröd (indefinite nominative singular)
vörtbrödet (definite nominative singular)
vörtbröd (indefinite nominative plural)
vörtbröden (definite nominative plural)
vörtbröds (genitive indefinite singular)
vörtbrödets (definite genitive singular)
vörtbröds (genitive indefinite plural)
vörtbrödens (definite genitive plural)

wort bread (bread baked with wort, often also including raisins)


ischoklad

ischoklad (indefinite nominative singular)
ischokladen (definite nominative singular)
ischoklader (indefinite nominative plural)
ischokladerna (definite nominative plural)
ischoklads (genitive indefinite singular)
ischokladens (definite genitive singular)
ischokladers (genitive indefinite plural)
ischokladernas (definite genitive plural)

a candy made from chocolate and coconut oil