{"id":8759,"date":"2020-09-18T00:19:38","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T00:19:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/?p=8759"},"modified":"2020-09-18T00:24:31","modified_gmt":"2020-09-18T00:24:31","slug":"exploring-the-swedish-suffix-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/exploring-the-swedish-suffix-is\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring the Swedish Suffix -is"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

A “loppis” in G\u00f6teborg. Photo: Faramarz Gosheh\/imagebank.sweden.se<\/p><\/div>\n

This week we\u2019re going to take a look at the Swedish suffix -is. Originally, derived from Latin, Swedes use this ending to shorten nouns, transform verbs, and throw down some slang. This -is ending is everywhere, so let\u2019s dig in! <\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Originally, Swedish adopted the -is<\/em> ending from Latin. The Swedish word for \u201cfree\u201d is <\/span>gratis<\/span><\/i> derived from the Latin <\/span>gratia<\/span><\/i>. In nouns, -is<\/em> is used when a word has been adapted and shortened. For example, one of the Swedish words for friend is<\/span> kompis <\/span><\/i>and<\/span>\u00a0comes from the longer <\/span>kompanjon. <\/span><\/i>It is also used when<\/span> shortening those pesky, long compound words<\/strong> in Swedish like these:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ett daghem \u2192 ett dagis\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>a daycare\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ett mellanm\u00e5l \u2192 ett mellis\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>a snack\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

en loppmarknad \u2192 ett loppis\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>a flea market or garage sale<\/span><\/p>\n

ett fritidshem \u2192 fritids or fritis\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 <\/span>youth center or after school program<\/span><\/p>\n

And with professions like: <\/span><\/p>\n

en vaktm\u00e4stare \u2192 en vaktis\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>a custodian\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

en sk\u00e5despelare \u2192 en sk\u00e5dis\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>an actor<\/span><\/p>\n

Other parts of speech have been transformed using -is<\/em> as well. Some “slangy” adjectives<\/strong> that come to mind are <\/span>popul\u00e4r \u2192 poppis <\/span><\/i>for popular, and <\/span>bakfull \u2192 bakis <\/span><\/i>for hungover. <\/span><\/p>\n

Derived from the verb<\/strong> <\/span>gratulera<\/span><\/i>, you congratulate someone by saying <\/span>Grattis!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I<\/span>nstead of <\/span>kompis<\/span><\/i>, upgrade your friendship and become their <\/span>b\u00e4stis<\/span><\/i> (best friend)! This noun is two words shortened: <\/span>b\u00e4sta <\/span><\/i>and<\/span> v\u00e4n<\/span><\/i>. Nouns based on adjectives<\/strong> are my favorite, here are some examples:<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

en k\u00e4nd person<\/em> \u2192 en k\u00e4ndis\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>a celebrity <\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

en tr\u00f6tt person \u2192 en tr\u00f6ttis\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>a tried person<\/span><\/p>\n

en gullig sak \u2192 en gullis<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>a sweet person\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

en feg person \u2192 en fegis\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>a cowardly person\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

en god ting \u2192 ett godis\u00a0<\/em> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0candy from the literal “<\/span>a good thing”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Swedish nouns that end in –is<\/em> follow this declination most often, but they are a couple of ett-words in there, too:\u00a0 <\/span>en potatis \u2192 potatisen \u2192 potatisar \u2192 potatisarna<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The -is<\/em> suffix is often used as a diminutive<\/strong>, when we’re simply trying to make words seem cuter, or sweeter. We definitely do this in English, too. Take dog and puppy for example – dog is the formal definition, and puppy is the cuter term! But sometimes the Swedish -is<\/em> can be used in a condescending way, for example calling someone from the county <\/span>en lantis<\/span><\/i> \u201ca little country bumpkin.\u201d <\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re used to memorizing all of Swedish\u2019s long, compound words. It seems like you could put nearly any nouns together and create a new word. But you can also do the same with shortening words and adding the -is<\/em>. I challenge you to get creative and add your best -is<\/em> word in the comments below!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

This week we\u2019re going to take a look at the Swedish suffix -is. Originally, derived from Latin, Swedes use this ending to shorten nouns, transform verbs, and throw down some slang. This -is ending is everywhere, so let\u2019s dig in! Originally, Swedish adopted the -is ending from Latin. The Swedish word for \u201cfree\u201d is gratis…<\/p>\n

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