ett ras
breed
en snabb rörelse där jord, sten eller snö faller ner från en sluttning
Definition & meaning
Ras has two main meanings in Swedish:
- A collapse, landslide, or sudden fall. It can describe earth or rock giving way, a structure collapsing, or—in a figurative use—a sharp drop in prices or values.
- A breed or race. It is commonly used for animal breeds, such as a dog breed. When applied to human populations, the term can suggest outdated racial classifications; folkgrupp is often a more suitable word when referring to a human group.
Grammar & Word origin
The two meanings have different grammatical forms:
- ett ras — a collapse or landslide: raset (the collapse), ras (plural).
- en ras — a breed or race: rasen (the breed), raser (breeds), raserna (the breeds).
The collapse meaning is related to the verb rasa , “to collapse” or “to come crashing down.” The breed/race meaning came into Swedish from French race, probably via German.
Synonyms & antonyms
For a collapse or landslide:
- skred means a slide of earth or snow; it is more specific to material moving down a slope.
- sammanbrott means a breakdown or collapse, often figuratively, such as the failure of a system.
- There is no direct antonym. stabilitet (“stability”) can express the opposite idea in some contexts.
For a breed or race:
- sort and typ can mean “kind” or “type,” but are broader and do not necessarily imply a formally recognized breed.
- There is no direct antonym.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Pudel är en ras som ofta syns på hundutställningar.noun
Poodle is a breed that is often seen at dog shows.
Vilka raser av hästar trivs bäst i kallt klimat?noun
Which breeds of horses thrive best in cold climates?
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