snäll

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word snäll. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word snäll, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say snäll in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word snäll you have here. The definition of the word snäll will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofsnäll, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

Swedish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /snɛlː/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛl

Etymology 1

From Old Norse snjallr; compare with Norwegian Bokmål snill, Danish snild.

Adjective

snäll (comparative snällare, superlative snällast)

  1. kind, nice
    Synonyms: bussig, gemytlig, god, godhjärtad, godmodig, hjälpsam, hygglig, rar, trevlig, tillmötesgående, välmenande, fridsam, reko, schysst
    Antonyms: elak, ond, ondskefull, dum, taskig, illvillig, illasinnad
    en snäll man
    a kind man
    Det var snällt av dig
    That was kind of you
    Ge mig en kaka är du snäll ("är du snäll" (are you kind) is idiomatic)
    Could you be so kind and give me a cookie, please?
  2. nice, obedient (from notion of being kind (from someone's perspective))
    Synonyms: beskedlig, foglig, lydig, medgörlig, väluppfostrad
    Antonym: stygg
    Var nu en snäll flicka, Anna, och gör som mamma säger!
    Be a nice girl, Anna, and do as mom say!
Declension
Inflection of snäll
Indefinite positive comparative superlative1
common singular snäll snällare snällast
neuter singular snällt snällare snällast
plural snälla snällare snällast
masculine plural2 snälle snällare snällast
Definite positive comparative superlative
masculine singular3 snälle snällare snällaste
all snälla snällare snällaste

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.

Derived terms
See also

Etymology 2

Borrowed from German schnell. The adaptation was influenced by etymology 1.

Adjective

snäll (comparative snällare, superlative snällast)

  1. (archaic except in some compounds) fast
Declension
Inflection of snäll
Indefinite positive comparative superlative1
common singular snäll snällare snällast
neuter singular snällt snällare snällast
plural snälla snällare snällast
masculine plural2 snälle snällare snällast
Definite positive comparative superlative
masculine singular3 snälle snällare snällaste
all snälla snällare snällaste

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.

References