Självklart

Självklart is a Swedish word meaning “of course,” “obvious,” or “self-evident.” It is most commonly used as an adverb or predicative adjective to express that something is natural or taken for granted. The term can also function as an interjection, as in “Självklart!” which equates to the English “Of course!”

Etymology: The word is a compound of själv, meaning “self,” and klart, meaning “clear.” Together they convey that something is clear to oneself without the need for further explanation.

Usage and grammar: In ordinary sentences, självklart reinforces a statement or response, for example “Det är självklart att vi behöver göra det.” When describing something as self-evident in attributive position, the related adjective form “självklar” is used, as in “en självklar konsekvens av beslutet.” In practice, självklart is far more common than the attributive usage in everyday speech.

Variants and synonyms: Synonyms include naturligtvis, givetvis, and såklart. Såklart is a very common colloquial variant meaning the same thing in speech. Nuance-wise, självklart often emphasizes obviousness, while naturligtvis stresses naturalness and givetvis emphasizes inevitability or givenness.

See also: The expression is widely used across Swedish media, education, and everyday conversation. It is generally considered neutral and polite, though like any emphatic term it can carry a boost in tone depending on context and intonation.

Examples:

- Det var självklart att jag skulle komma.

- Självklart! Jag hjälper dig.

- En självklar konsekvens av beslutet är ökade kostnader.