Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| tack | /tak/ /tɑk/ |
| tackar |
The primary way to show appreciation or gratitude is by saying tack. To specify the reason for your gratitude, use the prepositional phrase tack för (thanks for). For example, you can say Tack för hjälpen to mean 'Thanks for the help'. If you wish to decline an offer politely, you can simply say tack or nej tack, which functions like 'no thank you'.
Which one should you use?
While tack is the standard interjection for thanks, tackar is the present tense verb form used when someone is actively performing the action of thanking (e.g., 'I thank' or 'I am thanking').
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Finland, Finnish-Swedish speakers may use the Finnish word Kiitos to mean thanks.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to state what you are thankful for, use the preposition för after tack. The form tackar is the present tense verb form of the word.
How do you pronounce it?
/tak/
When do people say it?
The standard response to tack is varsågod, which means 'You're welcome'. Note that varsågod is also used to mean 'here you go' when you are handing something to someone.
Did you know?
- In a restaurant or shop, you will often hear the phrase Tack för senast which literally means 'thanks for the last time'. It is a common social etiquette used when meeting someone you have recently spent time with.
- Swedish speakers often use tack as a way to soften a command or a request, making it function similarly to adding 'please' at the end of a sentence.
- The word tack is a cognate of the English word 'thank', descending from the Proto-Germanic root *þankō.
Examples in context
- Tack för ert svar.Thanks for your reply.This sentence is useful for thanking someone for their reply using tack.Tatoeba #2051948 by herrsilen, translation #64012 by CK
- Tack, det var allt.Thanks, that's all.This sentence shows how to use tack to indicate that nothing else is needed.Tatoeba #912722 by Tximist, translation #1653 by brauliobezerra
- Jag klarar mig, tack.I can manage, thanks.This sentence demonstrates using tack to politely decline something.Tatoeba #4345879 by richke, translation #2771529 by sharptoothed
- 54 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Erik are at a cafe.
- EmmaKan jag få en kaffe?Can I have a coffee?
- ErikSjälvklart, här är den.Of course, here it is.
- EmmaTack, det var snällt.Thanks, that was kind.
- ErikIngen orsak!No problem!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thanks” translations and entries tack, tackar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tack, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
