Föda

Föda is a Swedish word with several related meanings connected to nourishment and birth. As a noun, föda denotes food or nourishment and is used in both everyday and literary language to refer to what sustains life. Common expressions include den dagliga födan (daily sustenance) and näringsrik föda (nutrient-dense food). The term can appear in discussions of diet, nutrition, and provisioning.

As a verb, föda most commonly means to give birth. In this sense, you can say hon födde ett barn (she gave birth to a child). The birth event is usually described with the related noun födsel (the birth), for example födseln av ett barn. The verb föda is also used in phrases meaning to raise or rear offspring, particularly with animals, as in att föda upp (to rear/breed). In everyday usage, however, the act of feeding is usually described with andra verbs; fodra is used for feeding animals, while the general concept of human food is referred to as föda in a broader sense or as kost/näring.

Etymology and usage notes: föda originates from older Swedish, with cognates in other Scandinavian languages related to nourishment and birth. In modern Swedish, the noun föda remains more formal or literary, while gündering of daily speech tends to prefer specific terms like mat, kost, or näring for food, and födsel for the act of giving birth. The verb föda is principal for birth and for the construction att föda upp when discussing breeding or rearing.

See also: fodra, födsel, kost, näring, mat.