Skilda

Skilda is a Swedish adjective meaning separate, distinct, or different. It is used to describe things that are not the same and to emphasize a difference between items, ideas, or groups. Common collocations include two skilda vägar (two separate paths), olika skilda frågor? Actually, you would say skilda frågor (different questions), or de skilda meningarna (the differing opinions). The word typically precedes plural nouns and agrees in number, with definite plural forms shown as de skilda frågorna.

The term is derived from the verb skilja, meaning to separate, and is cognate with related forms in other Germanic languages. The basic short form is skild; the plural attributive form is skilda. In definite plural constructions, the adjective takes the definite suffix, as in de skilda frågorna. This reflects common Swedish adjective inflection patterns tied to definiteness and number.

In usage, skilda conveys a sense of clear separation or distinction between elements. It appears across formal and informal contexts and is not a proper noun. Idiomatic expressions and standard phrases frequently employ it to signal difference, such as skilda åsikter or skilda vägar, underscoring that the items or ideas involved are not the same. Although related forms like skild and skilt exist in Swedish, skilda specifically marks a plural or definite sense of separation for the nouns it modifies.