vänster

Vänster is a Swedish word with several related senses. It primarily denotes the left-hand side of the body or of an object and is used in phrases such as gå till vänster (turn left) and vänstersida (the left side). As an adjective it can modify nouns to mean "left" in compounds like vänsterhänt (left-handed) and vänsterpolitik (left-wing politics). In political language, vänster designates the left-wing or the political left, in contrast to höger (the right).

Etymology: The word is of Germanic origin and is cognate with Danish venstre, Norwegian venstre, and Icelandic vinstr, all meaning "left."

Usage and context: In everyday Swedish, you say "gå till vänster" to indicate a direction, or "vänstersida" for the left side of something. The term also appears in sports, media, and academic writing to describe left-leaning positions. "Vänstern" (the Left) can refer to the left as a political bloc, while "Vänsterpartiet" is the name of Sweden's left-wing political party.

Political context: In Sweden, vänster is closely tied to left-wing politics. The main parliamentary actor associated with this orientation is Vänsterpartiet (Left Party), a party rooted in the socialist movement. The term can also refer more broadly to the range of left-wing parties and movements in Swedish political discourse.