Fånga

Fånga is a Swedish verb meaning to catch or to seize, used for both physical catching and more figurative senses. In everyday language it covers catching objects, animals, or people, as well as capturing attention or preventing someone from escaping.

Etymology and related forms: Fånga derives from Old Norse fanga and is closely related to Danish fange and Norwegian fange. The verb forms preserve typical Scandinavian conjugation patterns. The infinitive is fånga; present tense is fångar; the past tense is fångade; the supine is fångat. The perfect construction uses har fångat. The past participle used adjectivally is fångad (as in en fångad fisk). The passive form is fångas, with past passive fångades. The present participle is fångande, meaning catching.

Conjugation and usage: Common conjugations include jag fångar (I catch), han fångar fisken (he catches the fish), och hon fångade tjuven (and she caught the thief). Figurative uses are widespread, such as fånga uppmärksamheten (to catch attention) or fånga en idé. Synonyms include gripa and fånga i nätet, though gripa more often implies a forceful arrest or grasp. Contrasts with antonyms include släppa (to release) or frigöra (to free).

Cultural and linguistic notes: Fånga appears across Swedish literature and media as a practical term for both everyday acts and narrative tension. Its versatility allows it to pair with objects as varied as sports, wildlife, or abstract concepts like intresse or uppmärksamhet. Proper usage typically emphasizes either the literal act of capturing or the figurative idea of seizing an opportunity or moment.

See also: gripa, fångas, fångad.