huvud
Head
Usage
Show it at a clinic and point to your head. A headache is one compound word, "huvudvärk"
Grammar Note
Neuter: ett huvud, definite huvudet. Swedish builds pain words by compounding the part with "värk"
hår
Hair
Usage
Used at a salon or barber: "kan du klippa mitt hår?" — could you cut my hair?
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett hår. Swedish keeps the singular even for a whole head of hair
ansikte
Face
Usage
For a beauty salon or a dermatologist. A facial massage is "ansiktsmassage"
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett ansikte. In compounds it becomes "ansikts-"
öga
Eye
Usage
At an optician or pharmacy. For both eyes use the plural "ögon"; eye drops are "ögondroppar"
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett öga, with the irregular plural "ögon"
öra
Ear
Usage
Earache is "öronvärk". Useful when your ears block up on a flight
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett öra, plural "öron", and compounds take "öron-"
näsa
Nose
Usage
A nosebleed is "näsblod" and a blocked nose is "täppt näsa" — both come up with hay fever
Grammar Note
Common gender: en näsa, definite näsan
mun
Mouth
Usage
At the dentist, "öppna munnen" means open your mouth. Mouthwash is "munskölj"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en mun, definite "munnen" with a doubled n
tand
Tooth
Usage
A dentist is a "tandläkare" and toothache is "tandvärk". Point at the tooth that hurts
Grammar Note
Common gender, en tand, with the vowel-changing plural "tänder"
tunga
Tongue
Usage
At an examination, "räck ut tungan" means stick out your tongue. Also for a burnt tongue
Grammar Note
Common gender, en tunga
hals
Neck / Throat
Usage
Swedish uses one word for the neck and the throat. "Jag har ont i halsen" — my throat hurts — is the standard line at a cold clinic. For the back of the neck specifically, use "nacke"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hals. Swedish simply does not split neck from throat
nacke
Nape / Back of the neck
Usage
For a stiff or cricked neck. "Jag har ont i nacken" is pain at the back of the neck, as opposed to "i halsen" for a sore throat
Grammar Note
Common gender, en nacke — the same form used in the Health & Hospital category
axel
Shoulder
Usage
Handy for showing a masseur where to work. The plural is "axlar"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en axel. The same spelling also means an axle
arm
Arm
Usage
Point here for a blood test or blood pressure cuff. "Jag har brutit armen" — I broke my arm
Grammar Note
Common gender, en arm. Norwegian and Danish happen to spell it the same way
armbåge
Elbow
Usage
Point here after a fall. Tennis elbow is "tennisarmbåge"
Grammar Note
Common gender, from "arm" plus "båge" (a bow)
hand
Hand
Usage
Hand sanitiser is "handsprit", a sign you will see in every pharmacy
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hand, plural "händer". Note Norwegian and Danish spell it "hånd"
finger
Finger
Usage
For a cut or a split nail. A toe is a different word, "tå", plural "tår"
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett finger, plural "fingrar"
nagel
Nail
Usage
A nail salon is a "nagelsalong". Use it for a broken or ingrown nail
Grammar Note
Common gender, en nagel, plural "naglar"
bröstkorg
Chest
Usage
Use this for chest pain. Plain "bröst" can also mean a breast, so "bröstkorg" is the unambiguous choice in a medical setting
Grammar Note
Common gender, literally "chest basket" — the rib cage. Same form as in the Basic Nouns category
mage
Belly / Stomach area
Usage
The belly as a whole. "Jag har ont i magen" is the standard line, and also appears in the Health & Hospital category. For the organ itself, say "magsäck"
Grammar Note
Common gender, en mage. Norwegian also has "mage"; Danish has "mave"
magsäck
Stomach (the organ)
Usage
The organ itself, for talking about stomach medicine or a gastroscopy. Everyday tummy ache uses "magen"; show this word when the doctor needs the organ
Grammar Note
Common gender, literally "belly sack"
rygg
Back
Usage
For a massage or physio. "Jag har ont i ryggen" — my back hurts
Grammar Note
Common gender, en rygg. Danish spells it with a single g, "ryg"
ländrygg
Lower back
Usage
Swedish has no single word for the Japanese "koshi"; lower-back pain is described with "ländrygg". A sudden lumbago is "ryggskott"
Grammar Note
Common gender, "länd" (loin) plus "rygg" (back). Same form as in the Basic Nouns category
rumpa
Bottom
Usage
An everyday word that is perfectly usable at a clinic and not crude — for a fall, or for where an injection goes
Grammar Note
Common gender, en rumpa. The clinical term is "säte"
ben
Leg / Bone
Usage
Swedish "ben" covers both a leg and a bone, and context decides — "jag har brutit benet" is normally "I broke my leg". A fracture is "benbrott", as in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett ben, and the plural is also "ben"
knä
Knee
Usage
The most common ski and hiking injury word. "Jag har vrickat knät" — I twisted my knee
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett knä, definite "knät", plural "knän"
fot
Foot
Usage
Distinct from "ben" (the whole leg) — this is only from the ankle down. Use it for blisters or a foot massage
Grammar Note
Common gender, en fot, plural "fötter". Norwegian also has "fot"; Danish has "fod"
fotled
Ankle
Usage
A sprain is a "stukad fotled" — a very common winter accident on icy Swedish pavements
Grammar Note
Common gender, "fot" plus "led" (joint). Colloquially also "ankel"
hud
Skin
Usage
A dermatologist is a "hudläkare" and a rash is "hudutslag", as in the Health & Hospital category. Also for dry winter skin
Grammar Note
Common gender, en hud. Norwegian and Danish spell it identically
blod
Blood
Usage
A blood test is a "blodprov" and blood pressure is "blodtryck". Pairs with "blödning" (bleeding) in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett blod. Norwegian and Danish spell it identically
hjärta
Heart
Usage
Use it with "hjärtsjukdom" (heart disease) from the Health & Hospital category when declaring a condition. An ECG is an "EKG"
Grammar Note
Neuter, ett hjärta. Norwegian and Danish have "hjerte"
lunga
Lung
Usage
Pneumonia is "lunginflammation". Use it with "astma" and "andnöd" from the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Common gender, en lunga, plural "lungor"
tarm
Intestine / Bowel
Usage
A stomach bug is "magsjuka". Pairs with "förstoppning" (constipation) in the Health & Hospital category
Grammar Note
Common gender, en tarm. Norwegian and Danish spell it identically
lever
Liver
Usage
For liver tests and medication questions. It is also the food word — "leverpastej" is liver pâté
Grammar Note
Common gender, en lever. It is spelled like the present tense of "leva" (to live), so context decides
njure
Kidney
Usage
A kidney stone is a "njursten". Also the word to use if you are on dialysis
Grammar Note
Common gender, en njure, plural "njurar". The "nj-" sounds like the "ny" in "canyon"
More Swedish phrases
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