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

   (literally, “to ride skis”)

   att åka skridskor

   to ice skate

   (literally, “to ride ice skates”)

   att åka buss till affären

   to ride a bus to the store

   att åka hiss

   to ride an elevator

   – Hur kom ni hit? – Vi åkte bil.

   – How did you get here? – We went by car [rode a car (or cars)].

   Dags att åka hem

   Time to go [ride] home [with a vehicle, skis, skates, etc.]

   Dags att gå hem

   Time to go [walk] home [for comparison]

   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

   I jumped into the car and drove / went towards Säffle [focus on either the driving or the riding – somewhat interchangeable]

   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.

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

4. (intransitive) to leave, to depart

   Vi åker nu

   We are leaving [riding] now [with a vehicle, skis, skates, etc. – could also literally mean "we are riding now"]

   Vi går nu

   We are leaving [walking] now [for comparison – could also literally mean "we are walking now"]

References

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