Skissa

Skissa is a Swedish verb meaning to sketch, draw roughly, or draft in outline. It describes producing a quick, preliminary drawing or plan, or outlining ideas visually. The term is widely used in art, design, architecture, education, and journalism, as well as in everyday planning where a visual aid helps convey concepts.

Grammatical notes: infinitive skissa; present tense skissar; past tense skissade; supine (past participle) skissat; imperative skissa. The noun en skiss refers to a sketch or rough drawing; en snabb skiss is a quick sketch. The verb can be used both for literal drawing and for figurative outlining of plans or concepts.

Usage and nuance: skissa emphasizes roughness and planning rather than finished work. It can be literal, as in making a quick pencil drawing, or figurative, such as sketching out a proposal or strategy. Common phrases include skissa upp (to sketch out) and skissa på (to sketch in or on, often meaning to add a rough outline to something).

See also: skiss, the noun for a sketch or draft, and related terms in Swedish that describe drawing and planning activities. Skissa is widely understood in Swedish-speaking contexts and appears in education, design discourse, and everyday communication as a way to refer to early, visual representations of ideas.