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Vad heter du?

Vad heter du?
What is your name?
FromLesson 13inHardcore Swedish
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Breakdown of Vad heter du?

du
you
vad
what
heta
to be called
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More from this lesson

hetaSaraVi träffar Sara i centrum ikväll.Jag heter Sara, vad heter han?efternamnetstavasfelHennes efternamn stavas ofta fel.

Questions & Answers about Vad heter du?

What does the word heter mean here?
heter is the present tense of the verb heta (to be called, to be named). It corresponds to am/is/are called. Present tense is the same for all persons: jag/du/han/hon/hen/vi/ni/de heter.
Why is the verb before the subject (heter du) in this question?

Swedish main clauses use the V2 rule: the finite verb comes in second position. In a wh-question, the wh-word is first (Vad), the verb second (heter), and the subject third (du). Compare: Var bor du?, När fyller du år?
Note: in a subordinate clause there is no V2, so you say Jag undrar vad du heter (subject before verb).

Why not say Vad är ditt namn?
Vad heter du? is the natural, idiomatic way to ask someone’s name. Vad är ditt namn? is grammatically correct but sounds formal or like a form. In everyday speech, use Vad heter du?
How do I answer the question?
  • The default is: Jag heter [namn].
    Example: Jag heter Anna.
  • You can also say: Jag är [namn] (informal, common in introductions).
  • More formal: Mitt namn är [namn] (less common in conversation).
How do you pronounce Vad heter du?
  • Vad: roughly “vah”; the final d is often very soft or silent in casual speech.
  • heter: “HEH-tehr” (clear t, tapped r).
  • du: “doo”.
    Natural intonation puts the main stress on he- in heter.
Is du informal? Should I use Ni to be polite?
Use du with almost everyone in modern Swedish, even strangers. Ni is for addressing more than one person. Using Ni to one person can sound old-fashioned, overly formal, or even distancing, except in some service contexts.
How do I ask more than one person?

Use the plural you: Vad heter ni?
To a group, you could also ask each person: Vad heter du?, turning to them one by one.

How do I ask specifically for a last name or first name?
  • Last name: Vad heter du i efternamn?
  • First name: Vad heter du i förnamn?
    Alternatives like Vad är ditt efternamn? exist but are less idiomatic in speech.
How do I ask about someone else’s name or an object’s name?
  • He: Vad heter han?
  • She: Vad heter hon?
  • Gender-neutral/unknown: Vad heter hen?
  • An object/it: Vad heter det?
Is Hur heter du? acceptable?
No. Swedish uses Vad heter du? literally what are you called. Hur (how) does not work here.
What if I didn’t catch the name?
  • Förlåt, vad sa du att du hette?
  • Ursäkta, kan du säga det igen?
  • Hur stavas det? (if you need the spelling)
What are the other forms of the verb heta?
  • Infinitive: heta
  • Present: heter
  • Past (preterite): hette
  • Supine/participle used with har: hetat
    Example: Jag har hetat samma sak hela livet.
Why doesn’t heter change with the subject?
Swedish present tense does not change by person. All subjects use heter in the present.
Are there colloquial variants of Vad heter du?
  • In informal writing you may see Va heter du? where va represents vad. Standard spelling is vad.
  • You might also hear a very reduced va’ in fast speech, but keep vad in writing.
Why is it du here and not dig?
du is the subject form (nominative), and here you are the subject of the verb heter. dig is the object form (accusative) and would not be used in this structure.
Any punctuation or capitalization tips?
Capitalize the first word: Vad. End with a question mark. Pronouns like du are not capitalized in Swedish.
Can I ask to confirm someone’s name like Is your name Anna?

Yes: Heter du Anna?
Possible replies: Ja, jag heter Anna. / Nej, jag heter [annat namn].