åka

Etymology

From Old Swedish aka, from Old Norse aka, from Proto-Germanic *akaną. Cognate with Danish age. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-. Doublet of agera, which was borrowed from Latin agō, from the same ultimate Proto-Indo-European source.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈoːka/

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

åka (present åker, preterite åkte, supine åkt, imperative åk)

1. to go by using something more/else than the human or animal body, for example a vehicle, skis, or skates; to go, to ride, etc.

   att åka skateboard ― to ride a skateboard

   att åka skidor ― to ski

   att åka skridskor ― to ice skate

   att åka buss ― to take the bus

   att åka hiss ― to take the elevator

   – Hur kom ni hit? – Vi åkte bil.

   – How did you get here? – We went by car.

   Dags att åka hem. ― Time to go home [with a vehicle, skis, skates, etc.]

   Dags att gå hem. ― Time to go home [on foot].

   1. to ride (an amusement ride or the like)

      att åka bergochdalbana ― to ride a roller coaster

2. to go (by sliding), to slide

   Synonym: (places more emphasis on the sliding as opposed to the going) glida

   Jag åkte nedför backen på ändan. ― I went down the hill on my butt.

   Hjälmen åkte ner framför ögonen. ― My helmet slipped down over [in front of] my eyes.

3. to go (by being driven in some sense, focusing on the "riding" (movement, etc.) rather than the "driving" (action of moving, etc.))

   Rullgardinen åkte upp. ― The roller blind went up.

   Varje gång vi är hos Nisse åker dragspelet fram.

   Every time we're at Nisse's, the accordion comes [goes] out.

   Jag hoppade in i bilen och körde / åkte mot Säffle. (focus on either the driving or the riding – somewhat interchangeable)

   I jumped into the car and drove / went towards Säffle.

   2. (usually with ut (“out”) or the like) to be driven, to be run ((usually) out, away, or the like – be made to leave, by commanding to leave, through physical means, or the like – compare köra (“drive”))

      – Körde vakterna ut honom? – Ja, han åkte ut med ändan före. (idiomatic)

      – Did the bouncers kick him out? – Yeah, he was kicked out [went out] butt first.

4. (intransitive) to leave, to depart

   Vi åker nu. ― We are leaving now [with a vehicle, skis, skates, etc.].

   Vi går nu. ― We are leaving now [on foot].

References

• åka in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• åka in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• åka in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)