löpa

Löpa is a Swedish verb with several related meanings tied to movement, duration, and flow. In its most common sense, it denotes moving rapidly by foot: a person, animal, or object can löpa, often in a sense of running or fleeing. The present tense is löper, the past tense löpte, and the supine form is löpt.

A second core sense concerns the passage of time or the operation of a process. When time or a deadline is involved, Swedish speakers say that time löper or that something else löper ut, meaning it is running or expiring. This use extends to processes or sequences that continue to unfold over a period.

A third meaning arises in contexts of liquid movement or color diffusion. In textiles and painting, färg eller färgämne kan löpa, meaning the dye or pigment runs or bleeds, spreading beyond its original area.

Idiomatic phrases include löpa amok, meaning to run amok or behave in a wildly uncontrolled manner. Other expressions use löpa in a more abstract sense of progression or continuation.

Etymology and usage notes: löpa is a Germanic verb with cognates in other Scandinavian languages. In modern Swedish, it is an intransitive verb with a formal, somewhat classic tone. It is commonly used in literature and formal reporting, as well as in everyday speech for general notions of running, time progression, and diffusion of liquids.

Related forms include löp- as a stem in compounds such as löpning (running), och i vissa sammansättningar. See also phrases dealing with timing and movement.