falska

Falska is a Swedish adjective meaning false or fraudulent. It is used to describe things that are not true or not genuine, such as statements, claims, or objects. The form falska is commonly used with plural nouns (for example, falska påståenden, falska nyheter) and with certain inflected forms of common gender nouns; the basic forms of the same adjective are falsk (masculine/feminine singular) and falskt (neuter singular). In everyday language, falska appears in a wide range of phrases to express nontruthfulness or deception.

Etymology traces falska to the Old Norse word falskr, from the Proto-Germanic root *falsaz, and it is cognate with Danish and Norwegian falsk. The sense has broadened over time to cover not only outright lies but also things that are not genuine or genuine enough, including counterfeit or misleading matters.

Usage notes explain that falska carries a normative or evaluative nuance, indicating not merely incorrectness but a judgment that something purports to be true but is not. In formal or legal contexts, more precise terms are often preferred, such as förfalskade (forged) for documents or bedräglig for fraudulent behavior. Nevertheless, falska remains common in media, politics, and everyday speech when describing incorrect information, deceptive claims, or counterfeit goods.

See also: falsk, förfalskad, bedrägeri.