01
der Schwede
Swede
A male person who comes from Sweden or has Swedish citizenship.
example
Mein neuer Kollege ist Schwede und kommt aus Stockholm.
My new colleague is Swedish and comes from Stockholm.
der Schwede
Swede
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Meanings
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Usage tips
N-declension
'Der Schwede' (the Swede) is a noun of the N-declension. This means it takes the ending '-n' in all cases except the nominative singular: den Schweden, dem Schweden, des Schweden.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe gestern mit einem netten Schweden gesprochen.
Yesterday I spoke with a nice Swede.
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether a person or a tool is meant. If it is about countries, languages, or people, it means the person from Sweden. If it is about crafts, repairs, or screws, it means the tool.
EXAMPLE
Der Schwede, den ich im Urlaub traf, sprach perfekt Deutsch.
The Swede whom I met on vacation spoke perfect German.
Word family
The word 'Schwede' (Swede) is directly connected with the country 'Schweden' (Sweden) and the adjective 'schwedisch' (Swedish). These words belong to one family.
EXAMPLE
Die schwedische Flagge ist blau und gelb.
The Swedish flag is blue and yellow.
Register and region
The meaning 'Schraubenschlüssel' (wrench) is colloquial and is not understood everywhere in Germany. It is used mainly in craft and trades contexts.
EXAMPLE
Mein Opa nannte diesen großen Schraubenschlüssel immer „den Schweden“.
My grandpa always called this large wrench 'den Schweden' (the Swede).
Compare with
Schwede vs Engländer
Englishman / adjustable wrench
'der Engländer' and 'der Schwede' both belong to words for male people by origin or citizenship. They differ by country: an 'Engländer' comes from England, while a 'Schwede' comes from Sweden. You can confuse them when learning nationalities in German. In some regions, both words can also refer to tools, namely adjustable wrenches; with 'Schwede', this meaning is regional and colloquial. The context usually shows clearly whether a person or a tool is meant.
Schwede
Für die Reparatur nimmt der Hausmeister einen großen Schweden aus dem Werkzeugkasten.
For the repair, the caretaker takes a large adjustable wrench from the toolbox.
Engländer
Morgen hat mein Kollege in der Schule einen Engländer als Gast.
Tomorrow my colleague will have an Englishman as a guest at the school.
In real life
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