Tätpackad

Tätpackad is a Swedish adjective meaning densely packed, jam-packed, or crowded. The word is a compound formed from tät, meaning dense or tight, and packad, the past participle of packa (to pack). It describes spaces or objects that are filled to capacity, as well as more abstract situations that feel full or congested.

Common usages include describing physical crowds and containers, such as en tätpackad buss (a crowded bus) or ett tätpackat torg (a densely packed square). It can also describe schedules or calendars that are fully booked, for example en tätpackad arbetsvecka. The term emphasizes density and congestion beyond what milder words like full or crowded convey.

Grammar-wise tätpackad inflects like other adjectives. In singular common gender or feminine, it is tätpackad; in neuter singular, tätpackat; in plural, tätpackade. In context, it often carries a nuance of immediacy or discomfort, particularly when referring to crowded places or tightly scheduled routines.

Origins and usage notes: tätpackad is established in modern Swedish and appears in media, literature, and everyday speech. It is common in descriptive prose and spoken language, though in highly formal writing one might choose more neutral phrasing. It is typically preferred when a precise sense of density or crowding is intended over more general terms such as full or crowded.

Related terms include fullsatt and överfull, as well as the components tät (dense) and packad (packed).