affär

Affär is a Swedish noun with several related meanings centered on commerce. The most common sense is a store or shop—a retail business where goods or services are sold. In everyday language one speaks of “en affär” for a specific shop, and the plural form is “affärer.” The word can also refer more generally to a business or enterprise, as in expressions like “att bedriva en affär” or in compounds such as “affärsidé” (business idea) and “affärsverksamhet” (business activity). Another frequent sense is a deal or transaction, for example “att göra en affär” (to close a deal) or “en affär mellan två parter.”

Etymology and related terms: affär is a borrower in Swedish, historically linked to the French word “affaire” meaning matter, business, or affair. Through contact with German and other languages, the term broadened in Swedish to cover both the shop itself and the broader concept of business. In contemporary usage, the sense of “affär” as a deal is common but often overlaps with more specific terms like “avtal” (contract) or “deal.”

Usage and nuance: while “affär” can denote a physical shop, the more neutral word for a shop in many contexts is “butik.” “Affär” emphasizes the business as an entity or a specific transaction, whereas “butik” focuses on the retail store aspect. The word appears in numerous compound forms, such as “affärsidé,” “affärsman/affärskvinna,” and “affärsverksamhet.” In plural form, “affärer” refers to multiple shops, business dealings, or transactions, depending on context.

See also: butik, handel, affärsidé, affärsverksamhet, affärer.