göster

Gäster is the Swedish plural form of gäst, meaning guest. The word is used for people who are invited to a person’s home, a function, or an establishment, such as a hotel. The term is cognate with Danish gæst and Norwegian gjest, and is related to the English word guest.

Grammar and forms: gäst is a en-word (common gender) in Swedish. The plural is gäster, the definite plural is gästerna, and the possessive forms are gästens (singular) and gästerna’s (often written as gästernas in older usage). In compound terms, such as hotellgäster or festgäster, gäster functions as a base noun.

Usage and contexts: Gäster can refer to any visitors who are invited or accepted as guests, including family friends, event attendees, or customers of an establishment. It is distinct from besökare (visitors or passersby) and invånare (residents). Examples: “Vi hade många gäster på festen,” or “Hotellgästerna checkade in.” In hospitality settings, gäster often denotes customers or patrons who receive services.

Cultural and etiquette notes: In Swedish culture, hosting guests commonly involves offering beverages or coffee and maintaining courteous hospitality. The term is neutral and broadly applicable to private homes, events, or service contexts without implying status or relationship beyond being a guest.

See also: guestbooks (gästbok), host (värd), hospitality (gästfrihet). The concept of gæster is widely used in everyday language, media, and literature to describe people who are temporarily present as visitors or invitees.