byta

Byta is a Swedish verb meaning to exchange, to swap, or to change. It is primarily transitive and used when one thing is exchanged for another, such as money, goods, or positions. The sense can range from a simple swap to a replacement of one item with a newer or different one. The verb also appears in phrasal form to emphasize replacement.

Conjugation and usage: byta forms as byter in the present tense, bytte in the past tense, and bytt as the supine. The infinitive can take an object, for example Jag byter pengar, or Jag byter min bok mot din. The separable phrasal verb byta ut means to replace something with something else, as in Jag byter ut den gamla lampan mot en ny.

Usage notes: byta is used for swapping or exchanging items, often with mot to indicate what is received in return (byta X mot Y). If the emphasis is on altering a state or making modifications rather than exchanging, the verb ändra is typically more appropriate. The noun byte means a change or exchange, and the term byte is also used in computing to denote data units (byte), which is a different sense.

Etymology and cognates: byta belongs to the Germanic language family; cognates exist in Danish bytte and Norwegian bokmål bytte, reflecting a common regional root.

Examples:

- Jag byter pengar vid växelkursen.

- Vi byter plats så att alla får solljus.

- Han bytte ut den gamla bilen mot en ny.