ett hej
hello
Ett ord man säger när man vill hälsa på någon.
Definition & meaning
The word "hej" is the most common and versatile greeting in the Swedish language.
- Hello/Hi: Used as a standard greeting when meeting someone, regardless of the time of day or the social setting. It is informal but widely accepted in almost all contexts, including professional ones.
- Goodbye: In many parts of Sweden, "hej" is also frequently used as a casual way to say goodbye. It is very common to repeat it twice, "hej hej", to signify a friendly departure.
Grammar & Word origin
"Hej" is an interjection and does not change form (it is indeclinable). It is used as an invariable greeting or farewell.
The word is believed to have originated from the Middle Low German word "hei" or the Dutch "hei," which were used as exclamations to attract attention. It became established in the Swedish language during the 19th century and gradually replaced older, more formal greetings.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- Hallå (Hello/Hello there) - often used to attract attention or when answering the phone.
- Tjena (Hi/Hey) - a more informal, slang-influenced greeting.
- Hejsan (Hi there) - a slightly more playful or friendly variant of hej.
- God dag (Good day) - a more formal way of greeting someone.
- Hej då (Goodbye) - specifically used for saying goodbye.
Antonyms: As "hej" functions as both a greeting and a farewell, it does not have direct antonyms, though one could argue that att säga adjö (to say goodbye) acts as an opposite when "hej" is used strictly as a greeting.
Make “hej” part of your vocabulary.
Build your Swedish vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Hon säger hej till sin vän.noun
She says hello to her friend.
Hej, vill du leka?interjection
Hello, do you want to play?
Keep exploring Swedish
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad