kväll

Kväll is a Swedish noun meaning the period of the day after the afternoon and before night, commonly translated as “evening” or “tonight.” In everyday use it refers to the hours when daylight fades and people often engage in leisure, meals, or social activities. The phrase i kväll denotes “tonight,” while god kväll is a common greeting equivalent to “good evening.”

Grammar and usage: Kväll is a common gender noun. The indefinite singular is en kväll. The plural is kvä llar, with the definite plural form kvällarna. In compounds the form kvälls- is used, as in kvällstid (evening time) or kvällsprogram (evening program). The term appears in various everyday expressions and is central to Swedish timekeeping and social life.

Etymology and cognates: Kväll is part of the North Germanic language family. It is closely related to the Norwegian bokmål kveld and the Icelandic kvöld, which share a common historical origin. The Swedish form reflects typical sound changes within the group, and the word is historically tied to the concept of the closing part of the day across Scandinavian languages.

Cultural context: In Sweden, many activities are planned by time of day, with kvällen often hosting dinners, entertainment, or relaxation after work. The word also appears in media and literature to denote events or programming scheduled for the evening. Its usage is widespread in both formal and colloquial Swedish.

See also: i kväll, god kväll, kvällstid, kvällsmedia.