vän

See also: vaen, væn, and Appendix:Variations of "van"

Swedish

Alternative forms

vaͤn (obsolete typography)

Etymology 1

From Old Norse vænn (“which gives hope about”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /vɛːn/

Adjective

vän (comparative vänare, superlative vänast)

(dated) fair, beautiful

Declension

Inflection of **vän**
Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative¹
common singular	vän	vänare	vänast
neuter singular	vänt	vänare	vänast
plural	väna	vänare	vänast
masculine plural²	väne	vänare	vänast

Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular³	väne	vänare	vänaste
all	väna	vänare	vänaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Related terms

vänhet

Etymology 2

From Old Norse vinr, from Proto-Germanic *winiz, from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to seek, desire, love, win”).

Pronunciation

Audio; “en vän”: (file)
IPA^(key): /vɛnː/

Noun

vän c (feminine: väninna, only among women)

a friend
De var bästa vänner under hela sin skoltid
They were best friends throughout their school years

Vi är bara vänner
We’re just friends [i.e., not a couple]
- 1989, Jakob Hellman (lyrics and music), “Vara vänner [Be friends]”, in ...och stora havet [...and the great sea]‎^[1]:
  Och bara, bara vara vänner och tala om allt. Vi kan väl tala om allt men vi ska bara, bara vara vänner och tala om allt. Vi kan väl tala om allt med varann.
  And just, just be friends and talk about anything [everything]. I guess we can talk about anything, but we will [shall] just, just be friends and talk about anything. I guess we can talk about anything with each other.
- 1993, “Eloise”, Gert Lengstrand (lyrics), Lasse Holm (music)‎^[2]performed by Arvingarna:
  Eloise, är vi mer än bara vänner? Så visa vad du känner, och sen får känslorna bestämma. Eloise, även vindarna kan vända. För mig är du den enda. Vår kärlek den är värd ett högre pris, Eloise.
  Eloise, are we more than just friends? So show what you feel, and then we let the feelings decide [and then the feelings get to decide]. Eloise, the tide [winds] can also turn [in addition to him turning back, perhaps]. For me you are the only one. Our love [it] is worth a higher price, Eloise.
(often as a suffix) a supporter, a friend
Norgevän
someone who is fond of and/or supports Norway, a friend of Norway

Declension

Declension of vän

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	vän	väns
singular	definite	vännen	vännens
plural	indefinite	vänner	vänners
plural	definite	vännerna	vännernas

Derived terms

References