Hälsar

Hälsar is the present tense form of the Swedish verb hälsa, meaning to greet someone or to extend greetings. The infinitive is hälsa, the past tense is hälsade, and the supine is hälsat. In present tense the forms are jag hälsar, du hälsar, han/hon/den/det hälsar, vi hälsar, ni hälsar, de hälsar. The related noun hälsning means a greeting, and hälsningar means greetings, commonly used in closing phrases in letters and emails such as med vänliga hälsningar.

Hälsa can be used in several senses. To greet someone in person is common, as in jag hälsar på dig or vi hälsar på grannarna. The phrase att hälsa på någon means to drop by for a visit. The verb can also be used transitively to send regards: can you hälsa till din syster? or hälsa till din mamma från mig. In writing, the verb appears in phrases like hälsa till and in set closings such as hälsningar, which signals the intention of goodwill or cordial regards.

Social and linguistic notes. Greetings in Swedish range from informal hej or tjena to more formal god dag, depending on context and relationship. Hälsningar as a closing formula is common in letters and emails and can convey warmth or formality depending on the wording, for example med vänliga hälsningar or vänliga hälsningar. The verb hälsa is neutral and versatile, used across formal and informal contexts.

Etymology. Hälsa derives from Old Norse heilsa, linked to health and well-being, and is cognate with related concepts of greeting and well-wishing in other Germanic languages.