indgå

Indgå and ingå are two Swedish verbs that share a historical root but have distinct meanings and usages. Indgå means to enter into or form a formal relationship, such as a contract, agreement, or alliance. It is typically used in more formal or legal contexts and with an object that names the arrangement, for example a contract or a treaty. Ingå, by contrast, means to be included in or to participate as part of something. It is commonly used with phrases indicating inclusion, membership, or participation, such as being part of a group or something being included in a price or package.

Indgå is used when describing the act of forming an arrangement. Common collocations include indgå ett avtal or indgå en överenskommelse, reflecting the sense of concluding or establishing an agreement through a formal process. The verb tends to appear in official or professional language, particularly in legal, administrative, or organizational contexts.

Ingå is used to express inclusion or participation rather than the act of forming a binding agreement. It appears in phrases such as ingå i ett pris (to be included in the price), ingå i ett projekt (to participate in a project), or hon ingår i gruppen (she is part of the group). It conveys belonging, overlap, or inclusion within a broader set or arrangement.

Etymologically, indgå and ingå originate from the same Germanic root related to going or entering, with prefixes that shift the sense toward either entering into a relationship (ind- coming into contact with something) or being included (in- indicating inclusion). In contemporary Swedish, indgå is more common in formal or legal contexts, while ingå is prevalent in everyday language describing inclusion or participation.

See also: contract terms, Swedish verbs, participatory constructions.