Trevlig

Trevlig is a Swedish adjective meaning pleasant, agreeable or enjoyable. It is used to describe people, places, events or experiences that are positive, friendly or pleasing. The word appears in many everyday phrases and is common in both spoken and written Swedish.

Usage and phrases

Trevlig is typically used before a noun in its indefinite form, as in en trevlig kväll (a pleasant evening) or ett trevligt sällskap (a pleasant company). It is also used predicatively: Det var trevligt att träffas (It was nice to meet you). Common set phrases include ha en trevlig resa (have a pleasant trip) and önskar er en trevlig helg (wishing you a nice weekend).

Forms and comparison

The positive form is trevlig. The standard comparative and superlative are trevligare and trevligast, respectively. In informal speech, some speakers also use mer trevlig and mest trevlig, but trevligare/trevligast are more typical in written and careful speech. The adverbial form is trevligt, used to modify verbs or clauses, as in Det var trevligt (That was nice) or Hon såg trevligt ut (She looked pleasant).

Related usage and nuance

Trevlig conveys a general sense of warmth or comfort, suitable for social situations, hospitality, or environments. It overlaps with synonyms such as behaglig (comfortable, agreeable), skön (nice, comfy) and vänlig (friendly), though each carries slightly different connotations. The noun form trevlighet means pleasantness or amiability.

Origin and variation

Trevlig is a standard part of modern Swedish vocabulary and has cognates in other Scandinavian languages. Its usage spans casual and polite contexts, making it a versatile term for expressing positive impressions.