"Barret är grönt."

Translation: The needle is green.

[HelenCarlsson]

Short "a" in barr: http://sv.forvo.com/search-sv/barr/

[ViolentRed]

In Bulgarian a pine or spruce type of a tree is called a Bor ( spelled Бор, of course)

[Birdexplorers]

Bór in Polish refers to a deep dark old-growth forest.

[Anna_von_Kleve]

In Russian it means the same.

[JarlNydahl]

I entered "Varet är grönt", which makes sense, as pus can also be green.

[Metlieb]

Does ett barr only refer to the needles of coniferous trees or can it also refer to a sewing needle?

[HelenCarlsson]

A sewing needle is "en nål" (or "en synål").

[bigswedeej]

My question was similar. A medical needle?

[HelenCarlsson]

That's "nål" as well and cannula is "kanyl".

[Metlieb]

Thanks! I assume that sy means to sew, then?

[HelenCarlsson]

Exactly!

Just FYI: Lots of Swedes have problems with the pronunciation of "sew" (as if sewing machine was a nickname for an American lawyer :)).

[Metlieb]

It took me a while to process this :D

[GlennaJo]

Sew is pronounced the same as "so". That's why costumer I knew called his business "The Old Sew and Sew", a play on the mildly insulting phrase of someone being an old so and so, usually when more offensive words would be inappropriate or harsher than intended.

[GlennaJo]

It must be even more confusing when a person who sews is called a sewer, pronounced the same as sower (someone planting grain, etc.), and a waste water system also called a sewer, pronounced the same as your very amusing lawyer example above.

[Camilla955555]

It can only mean a needle on a tree. But "barr" also has another meaning - a kind of tool for gymnastics.

[MeiaSala]

In Swedish this is separated by "Ett barr" - "A (pine) needle" and "En barr" - "a set of parallel bars".

[sandramorris1]

what about the quills on a hedgehog? what word is used in swedish for them?

[Anna_von_Kleve]

En tagg (pl. taggar).

[sandramorris1]

oh, thanks!

[Beanybadger]

Isn't that the same as thorn? Which I think can be tagg or torn?

[sotnosen93]

Yep, "tagg" (as well as "torn") does mean "thorn" as well.

[Camilla955555]

The pronunciation of "barret" is wrong. Or rather: the "a"-sound. There are two types of "a" in Swedish, one "long and light" and one "short and dark". She is using the light one here, although it should be the dark one (formed further back in the mouth)

[matstrish]

I cannot hear the difference between barret and badet. The computer voice does not roll her -r's.