Kollega

Kollega is a noun used in Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish to denote a person who works with you within the same organization. It corresponds to the English term colleague or coworker and is typically used to refer to someone at a similar level in the workplace, though it can include team members and collaborators across departments. The word is gender-neutral, and the plural form is kollegor. In everyday language, kollega can also imply a sense of professional solidarity or shared work.

The term derives from Latin collega meaning “partner in office” or “colleague,” via the Latin and Old French forms that contributed to the English word colleague. The Nordic forms kollega reflect direct borrowing of that root into Scandinavian languages, with spelling and pronunciation adapted to each language. In Dutch, a closely related word is collega.

In practice, kollega is used in both formal and informal contexts, for example in workplace announcements, emails, or conversations. It can be contrasted with medarbetare (co-worker or staff member) or chef (boss), where kollega emphasizes peer status rather than hierarchy. In cross-border contexts, speakers may switch between their own language and English colleague or coworker when communicating with international teams.

See also: colleague, coworker, medarbetare, arbeidskamrat.