Samtal

Samtal is a Swedish noun meaning a conversation or dialogue between two or more participants. It refers to an interactive exchange of information, ideas, or feelings, and can occur in informal social settings as well as formal contexts such as meetings, interviews, or counselling. A samtal typically involves turn-taking, listening, and responsive communication that aims to reach understanding or agreement.

Etymology: The word comes from sam- meaning together and tal meaning speech or talk, and has ancient roots in the Swedish language. It is cognate with similar terms in other Germanic languages.

Usage and contexts: In everyday life, samtal covers casual chats with friends or family and more structured discussions at work. In healthcare and counselling, samtal denotes talk-based sessions between a client and a professional, such as a psychologist or counsellor, focusing on reflection, problem-solving, or decision-making rather than pharmacological treatment alone.

Structure and style: A samtal may be informal or purpose-driven. In professional contexts it often has an agenda, documented notes, and agreed goals, while personal conversations emphasize listening, empathy, and mutual understanding. Depending on culture and setting, norms for turn-taking and interruptions vary.

Grammatical note: ett samtal is singular, samtal is the basic plural form, and samtalen is the definite plural.