Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| gå | /ɡoː/ (Sweden) |
| åka | /ˈoːka/ |
| resa | |
| fara |
The Swedish verbs for 'go' are used to describe moving through space. Use gå for walking, åka for traveling by vehicle, resa for longer journeys and fara for traveling or going in certain contexts.
Which one should you use?
gå specifically implies moving on foot. In contrast, åka is used when the movement involves a vehicle such as a car, bus or train. resa is used for traveling in a more general sense or for longer journeys rather than just a single trip from one point to another. Finally, fara can mean to go or travel, but it is also used to mean 'to be in danger' depending on the context.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡoː/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use gå when they actually mean traveling by a vehicle. In Swedish, you must distinguish between walking (gå) and riding (åka).
Did you know?
- Swedish speakers use gå for things that do not have legs, such as saying a clock 'goes' or a movie 'is playing'.
- In English, the word 'danger' and the Swedish verb for traveling, fara, share a common ancestor in the Proto-Germanic word for 'passage' or 'travel'.
- The verb åka is used for any movement on wheels, skis, or ice, including 'skating' or 'skiing'.
Examples in context
- Kan vi gå in?Can we go inside?This sentence shows how to use gå to ask about moving into a space.Tatoeba #4320709 by richke, translation #2835777 by CK
- Kan vi gå nu?Can we go now?This sentence shows how to use gå to ask about leaving at a certain time.Tatoeba #4320710 by richke, translation #2852106 by CK
- Nu kan vi gå.Now we can go.This sentence shows how to use gå to state that one is able to leave.Tatoeba #4445567 by richke, translation #2891786 by CK
- Jag går till affären.I'm going to the store.
- Kan du gå ut med hunden?Can you take the dog for a walk?
- Jag åker till jobbet med tunnelbanan.I go to work by subway.
- Vi åker på resa till Paris.We're going on a trip to Paris.
- För att komma dit måste du ta dig över bron.To get there, you have to go across the bridge.
- Kom igen, vi drar till stranden!Come on, let's go to the beach!
- Jag drar hem nu.I'm going home now.
- Jag sticker på semester imorgon.I'm going on vacation tomorrow.
- Ska vi traska till parken?Shall we go to the park?
- 464 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maja and Karl are deciding how to get to the park.
- MajaSka vi gå till parken?Shall we walk to the park?
- KarlNej, det är för långt att gå.No, it is too far to walk.
- MajaDå får vi ta bussen.Then we will have to take the bus.
- KarlJa, det är bättre.Yes, that is better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go” translations and entries gå, åka, resa, fara, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fara, gå, resa, åka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
