plugga
The Swedish verb for to study is plugga.
Plugga is used to describe the act of acquiring knowledge, particularly in the context of students doing schoolwork or preparing for exams. If you are studying for a specific event like an exam, you use the preposition inför, such as in the phrase plugga inför tentan (to study for the exam).
Meaning: to acquire knowledge (verb)
Which one should you use?
While plugga is the common way to say to study in a daily context, the verb studera is a more formal alternative used in academic or official settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Plugga is an informal, colloquial verb. It is the standard way for students to talk about studying for exams or doing schoolwork in everyday speech.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The present tense of plugga is pluggar. The supine form is pluggat, which is used with auxiliary verbs like har (have).
Did you know?
- In Swedish, if you want to say you are 'studying' a subject in a deep, academic sense, you might use läsa, which literally means 'to read'.
- In Sweden, the phrase plugga stenhårt means to study 'stone hard', which is the equivalent of studying intensely or grinding.
- While plugga means to study, the noun plugg can refer to a wooden dowel or a stopper used to plug a hole.
Examples in context
- Jag måste plugga nu.I have to study now.This sentence is useful for expressing an immediate necessity to study using plugga.Tatoeba #4343715 by richke, translation #3821918 by CK
- Jag vill inte plugga.I don't want to study.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of desire to study using plugga.Tatoeba #10686403 by Pineapple, translation #5360312 by Hybrid
- Jag vill plugga utomlands.I want to study abroad.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to study in a foreign country using plugga.Tatoeba #923952 by Tximist, translation #262197 by CK
- Jag studerar svenska på universitetet.I study Swedish at the university.
- Hon har studerat ekonomi i fem år.She has studied economics for five years.
- De vill studera medicin och bli läkare.They want to study medicine and become doctors.
- Jag pluggar inför tentan.I'm studying for the exam.
- Han pluggar datavetenskap på högskolan.He's studying computer science at college.
- Vi brukar plugga tillsammans på biblioteket.We usually study together at the library.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alice and Lucas are talking in a library.
- AliceSka du plugga hela kvällen?Are you going to study all evening?
- LucasJa, jag måste plugga inför tentan.Yes, I have to study for the exam.
- AliceLycka till med att plugga!Good luck studying!
- LucasTack, det behövs.Thanks, I need it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry plugga, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
