Topic: Swedish

"Vitlöken är gammal och brun."

Translation:The garlic is old and brown.

January 16, 2015

21 Comments

https://www.duolingo.com/ValiantCashew

    So here, "Vitlöken" (the garlic) would directly translate to "the white onion"?

    January 16, 2015
    https://www.duolingo.com/Super-Svensk

      Yes, literally.

      January 16, 2015
      https://www.duolingo.com/langp11
      • 1524

      So if you want to say a white onion (as opposed to a brown or red one) - is it just "vitt löken" ie two words?

      Edit: A comment from another question confirms that the space is the important thing.

      August 14, 2015
      https://www.duolingo.com/Yerrick
      • 323

      Funny. It's the same phrase in Amharic. (nech shinkurt)

      March 19, 2015
      https://www.duolingo.com/Matt92HUN
      Plus
      • 986

      On a side note, are the Swedish word lök and English word leek related?

      March 22, 2015
      https://www.duolingo.com/20first
      • 1720

      Yes, they are related. And so are Dutch 'look' and German 'Lauch'.

      July 16, 2015
      https://www.duolingo.com/andrii_chr

        And Russian "лук" [luk] too.

        August 21, 2015
        https://www.duolingo.com/HoroTanuki

          Croatian uses "luk" for onion, "mladi luk" (young onion) for scallion and "poriluk" for leek.

          August 31, 2015
          https://www.duolingo.com/pablopublico
          • 19

          Leek is "poro" or "puerro" in Spanish. Spanglish speakers will be so delighted to find a "poroleek". =)

          January 12, 2018
          https://www.duolingo.com/Merlin_Szymanski

            and of course the german "Zwiebel"... wait...Oh...

            March 19, 2016
            https://www.duolingo.com/pablopublico
            • 19

            It's cognate of the Spanish "cebolla".

            January 12, 2018
            https://www.duolingo.com/Synthpopalooza

              I believe they are,

              May 12, 2015
              https://www.duolingo.com/freeboprich

                What a lovely image you've put into my head, thank you course creators

                December 10, 2015
                https://www.duolingo.com/Iawesome2--GD

                  Sounds disgusting.

                  October 22, 2016
                  https://www.duolingo.com/Iawesome2--GD

                    The old brown garlic.

                    October 22, 2016
                    https://www.duolingo.com/Gerardd88

                      It's really interesting that the words for onion in Swedish and Russian have common origin: lök and лук (luk) (according to Wiktionary, from Proto-Germanic *laukaz).

                      July 20, 2016
                      https://www.duolingo.com/pixelhate

                        If I wanted to say that the garlic was bad (as in rotten/spoiled), could I say "Vitlöken är dålig"?

                        June 1, 2017
                        https://www.duolingo.com/JoakimEk

                          yes.

                          December 10, 2017
                          https://www.duolingo.com/OtterInPink

                            How do you call garlic bread in Swedish?

                            July 22, 2016
                            https://www.duolingo.com/Yerrick
                            • 323

                            Vitlöksbröd, apparently.

                            July 22, 2016
                            https://www.duolingo.com/OtterInPink

                              Tack!

                              July 27, 2016
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