Swedish adjective · adverb
idel
nothing but
idel as an adjective
Meaning
nothing but
In Swedish: bara, uteslutande
idel as an adverb
Meaning
nothing but, constant, just
Practise idel
1 / 1What does idel mean?
idel in a sentence
- pjäsen möttes av idel lovordthe play was universally praised
- Det var idel nederlagIt was nothing but defeats
Expressions
- vara idel örabe all ears
Questions
What does idel mean in English?
idel means “nothing but”.
Origin
From Middle Low German idel (“empty, pure, vain”).
Nearby common words
idel is number 9,752 in our frequency list. These words come just before and after it.
Start today, free
Learn idel in real Swedish, free
Words stick when you hear them used. Complete Swedish Season 1 is 49 short video lessons with a synced transcript, free on the site with no account. A free account saves words like idel to your library and quizzes you on them, plus 7 days of the AI tutor and speaking practice when you confirm your email.
- Season 1 free in full: 49 lessons
- Synced transcript with English translations
- 7-day free trial of the AI tutor and speaking practice
- Members get the latest season and every new course
Sources: Folkets lexikon (CC BY-SA 2.5) and Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0), edited by Lingolib. Browse the dictionary

