Simma

Simma is a Swedish verb meaning to swim. It describes the act of moving through water by using the limbs to propel oneself, typically in a pool, lake, or the sea. The word is common in everyday Swedish and appears in contexts ranging from casual recreation to swimming lessons.

Derived forms include simning (swimming), simmare (a swimmer), and simskola (swimming school). The phrase att lära sig simma means to learn how to swim, and kan simma expresses the ability to swim. The verb follows standard Swedish conjugation patterns for -a verbs and combines with auxiliary verbs to express different tenses.

Etymology: Simma is a native Swedish word with cognates in other Germanic languages. It shares a semantic root with English swim and related forms in nearby Scandinavian languages, though the exact phonetic development differs between languages.

Cultural notes: Swimming is an important skill in Sweden because of its long coastline, many lakes, and emphasis on water safety in schools and public life. Competitive swimming has an active presence with clubs and national teams at various age levels.