mæta

Möta is a Swedish verb meaning to meet, encounter, or confront someone or something. It is used for both literal meetings with people and figurative encounters such as obstacles or criticism. The word appears in a wide range of contexts, from everyday conversation to formal writing.

Conjugation and forms: The infinitive is möta. In the present tense it is möter; the past tense is mötte; the supine form is mött, and the imperative form is möt. The present perfect is formed with har mött (e.g., Jag har mött många intressanta människor).

Usage notes: Möta is often contrasted with träffa; while both can mean “to meet,” möta emphasizes coming into contact with or facing something (e.g., möta motstånd, to meet or face resistance), whereas träffa more commonly refers to meeting someone, often by chance or by arrangement (e.g., jag träffade henne igår). The expression möta upp means “to meet up with” a person, and möta kritik means “to face criticism.”

Etymology and related forms: Möta belongs to the Germanic family of languages and has cognates in other languages, including the English verb meet and the German verb treffen, reflecting a shared Proto-Germanic origin. In Swedish usage, the verb also appears in common idioms and collocations such as möta upp, möta motstånd, and möta framtiden.

See also: Meeting (events), Meeting (gathering), Träffa, Bemöta.