billiga

Billiga is a Swedish adjective meaning cheap or inexpensive. It is used to describe nouns in price-related contexts, for example billiga prylar (cheap gadgets) or billiga flygbiljetter (cheap plane tickets). The word appears in ordinary speech and advertising to signal low cost, often without implying a specific quality.

In terms of grammar, billig is the base form. In plural indefinite use before plural nouns, the form is billiga (for example billiga priser, billiga bilar). In definite constructions, Swedish marks agreement with the noun, as in den billiga bilen (the cheap car) or de billiga bilarna (the cheap cars). The adverbial form is billigt, used to describe the manner of an action or a price, for example Det var billigt (It was cheap) or Köpet var billigt (The purchase was cheap).

Etymology and cognates: billig is cognate with Danish billig and Norwegian billig. The forms are generally traced to Old Norse and broader Germanic roots, with similar meanings across the Scandinavian languages.

Usage notes: While billiga is commonly used in neutral pricing descriptions, context matters. In some cases, repeatedly using extremely low prices may affect perceived quality of the item. Billig can also appear in advertising as a straight price indicator, whereas synonyms like prisvärd (priceworthy) or överkomlig (affordable) may emphasize value rather than just low cost.

See also: billighet (cheapness), prisvärdhet (value for money).