kär
See also: Appendix:Variations of "kar"
Swedish edit
Etymology edit
From Old Swedish kær, from Old Norse kærr, from Old Northern French ker, kier, quer (Old French chier, cher), from Latin cārus (“dear”), from Proto-Italic *kāros, from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂- (“to desire, to wish”). Doublet of hora.
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
kär (comparative kärare, superlative kärast)
- [+ i (object)] in love, enamored
- Synonyms: förälskad, (colloquial) betuttad
- Jag tror jag börjar bli kär i honom.
- I think I'm starting to fall in love with him.
- Åh herregud, hon är kär i sin bästa kompis tjej.
- Oh my, she is in love with her best friend's girlfriend.
- 1959, Stikkan Anderson (lyrics and music), “Är du kär i mej ännu Klas-Göran? [Are you still in love with me Klas-Göran?]”, performed by Lill-Babs:
- Är du kär i mig ännu, Klas-Göran? Har du kvar dina känslor för mig? Jag går hemma på fäbo[de]n och väntar. Och jag har kvar mina känslor för dig.
- Are you still in love with me, Klas-Göran? Do you still have your feelings for me? I'm home on [lit. "walking home on"] the shieling waiting. And I still have my feelings for you.
- dear, beloved
- Synonym: (not comparable) älskad
- Min kära syster, kan du ge mig ett glas vatten, tack!
- My dear sister, can you hand me a glass of water, please?
- att hålla någon kär
- to hold someone dear
- 1963, Arne Qvick (lyrics and music), “Rosen [The rose]”:
- Ty just nu idag, så köpte jag, en liten ros i en blomsteraffär. En ros röd som blod, så att du förstod, att det är dig som jag håller kär.
- For just now today, I bought, a small rose in a flower shop. A rose red as blood, so that you understood, that it is you that I hold dear.
Usage notes edit
Note that in Swedish, one is in love “in” someone rather than “with” someone.
Declension edit
| Inflection of kär | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
| Common singular | kär | kärare | kärast |
| Neuter singular | kärt | kärare | kärast |
| Plural | kära | kärare | kärast |
| Masculine plural3 | käre | kärare | kärast |
| Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Masculine singular1 | käre | kärare | käraste |
| All | kära | kärare | käraste |
| 1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic | |||
Coordinate terms edit
Derived terms edit
- kära
- kärlek (see there for further derivatives)
- kärt barn har många namn