vindarna

Vindarna is the definite plural form of the Swedish noun vind, which has two primary senses. In everyday use, vindarna can refer to the winds—the moving layer of air outside. It can also refer to attics or upper floor spaces in buildings. The same form applies to both senses; context determines which meaning is intended.

Etymology and grammar: Vind originates from Old Norse vindr and is related to the English word wind. In Swedish grammar, vind is an en-word (common gender). Its plural is vindar, and the definite plural is vindarna. Although the attic sense is distinct in meaning from the weather sense, the spelling of vindarna remains the same for both when the definite plural is used.

Usage notes: In meteorological contexts, vindarna describes wind conditions, as in Vindarna blir starkare i eftermiddag (The winds are getting stronger this afternoon). In housing or architectural contexts, vindarna denotes attic spaces, such as Vindarna i huset är oinredda (The attics in the house are unfurnished). Because vindarna can mean both winds and attics, speakers rely on surrounding words to convey the intended sense.

See also: vind, attic, Swedish vocabulary related to weather and housing.

Overall, vindarna serves as a versatile plural form in Swedish, illustrating how a single word can cover distinct concepts—the natural element of wind and the upper storage spaces within buildings—with meaning clarified through context.