Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| njuta | /²njʉːta/ |
| tycka om | /tʏkaˈɔmː/ /²tʏkːaˌɔmː/ |
The term njuta is used to describe deriving pleasure or satisfaction from something, often carrying a connotation of savoring or indulging in a specific moment or luxury. In contrast, tycka om is a more general expression of preference used to say that you like a person, object or activity.
Which one should you use?
Njuta describes the experience of deriving pleasure from something, while tycka om is the more common way to express that you like something or someone. While njuta implies a sense of indulgence, tycka om is a standard way to state a preference.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use njuta followed by an object, it is almost always paired with the preposition av, such as in njuta av livet (enjoy life). The phrase tycka om is a phrasal verb where om is a particle that stays with the verb even if the object is moved.
How do you pronounce it?
/²njʉːta/
Did you know?
- While English speakers say they 'enjoy a person', doing so in Swedish with njuta av sounds strangely sensual, as if you are savoring them like a luxury item.
- The word om in the phrase tycka om is a linguistic relative of the English word 'if', tracing back to the same Proto-Germanic roots that link 'if' and 'ob'.
- The verb njuta implies a level of indulgence or luxury that is much higher than the English 'enjoy'. You wouldn't typically use it for a simple daily task, but rather for savoring a special moment.
Examples in context
- Det skulle jag tycka om.I would enjoy that.This sentence shows how to express liking a specific thing or situation using tycka om.Tatoeba #4367507 by richke, translation #3820134 by CK
- Du skulle inte njuta av det.You wouldn't enjoy it.This sentence demonstrates the use of njuta with the preposition av.Tatoeba #3881282 by herrsilen, translation #2546873 by CK
- Om du verkligen vill lyckas måste du tycka om att äta gift.To really succeed, you must enjoy eating poison.This sentence illustrates the use of tycka om in a sentence regarding preference.Tatoeba #1666367 by loghaD, translation #1666364 by loghaD
- Ha en trevlig resa och njut av din semester!Have a nice trip and enjoy your vacation!
- Vi ses senare! Ha det kul!See you later! Have fun!
- Njut av kvällen med dina vänner!Enjoy the evening with your friends!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Oscar are eating a delicious cake together.
- EmmaDet här är gott, jag vill bara njuta av kakan.This is tasty, I just want to enjoy the cake.
- OscarJag håller med, den smakar fantastiskt.I agree, it tastes fantastic.
- EmmaVi borde njuta av varje tugga.We should enjoy every bite.
- OscarDet gör vi, Emma.We are, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enjoy” translations and entries njuta, tycka om, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries njuta, om, tycka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
