Naturligtvis

Naturligtvis is a Swedish adverb meaning “of course” or “naturally.” It is used to indicate that something is obvious, expected, or self-evident in a given context, and it can function as a response or as a lead-in to an explanation. The word is widely employed in both spoken and written Swedish, across formal and informal registers.

Etymology and form: the term is formed from the adjective naturlig (natural) with the adverbial inflection and the particle vis, yielding naturligtvis. Its literal sense is “in a natural way,” but it is used idiomatically to express inevitability or obviousness in a situation.

Usage and nuance: naturligtvis can introduce a statement that follows logically or reassure the listener that an expectation will be met. Examples include: “Naturligtvis vill jag hjälpa till,” and “Det var naturligtvis ett misstag.” It is common in everyday conversation and in formal discourse alike. The expression is flexible but can feel formal or emphatic in certain contexts.

Synonyms and related terms: givetvis, självklart, förstås, and såklart are closely related and often interchangeable, though each carries slightly different nuance. Naturligtvis emphasizes naturalness or inevitability, while självklart stresses obviousness from the speaker’s perspective, and givetvis underlines assumed conditions.

See also: givetvis, självklart, förstås. Naturligtvis is a staple of Swedish discourse for signaling agreement, reassurance, or a shared assumption.