konkurrera

Konkurrera is a Swedish verb meaning to compete, vie, or contend with others for a prize, position, or advantage. It is used across domains such as sports, business, politics, and everyday life to describe rivalry or efforts to outperform others. The term is generally neutral and can describe both formal contests and market or strategic rivalry.

Etymology and related forms: Konkurrera is borrowed from Latin concurrere, meaning “to run together, to clash, to strive together,” and has entered Swedish likely through German or French lending paths. Related words include konkurrent (competitor), konkurrenter (competitors), and konkurrens (competition). The sense shift from physical running to contest or rivalry is reflected in the common use today.

Usage and constructions: Konkurrera is typically followed by om to specify what is being competed for (konkurrera om priset, konkurrera om kontraktet, konkurrera om marknadsandelar). It can also take mot or med to indicate the rival group or partner in competition (konkurrera mot ett annat företag; konkurrera med lågprisstrategi). The verb conjugates as a regular -era verb: infinitiv konkurrera, present konkurrerar, past konkurrerade, supine konkurrerat. Passive use is possible with kunjurreras, as in “marknaden konkurreras av nya aktörer.”

Related terms and usage notes: Konkurrens refers to the overall concept of competition, while konkurrenskraft denotes competitive strength. Konkurrent describes a competitor. In Swedish, konkurrera is common in business and economics, but in more casual or sporting contexts, tävla is often used as a synonym with slightly different nuance.

Overall, konkurrera conveys active rivalry aimed at achieving a better outcome relative to others, whether for prizes, contracts, or market position.