motsvarar

Motsvarar is a Swedish verb meaning to correspond to, to match, or to be equivalent to something. It is used when one thing aligns with another, such as a product meeting a specification, a statement agreeing with observed facts, or a calculation matching a given result. The sense covers both qualitative agreement and quantitative equivalence, and it is widely used in formal and technical writing as well as everyday language.

Historically, motsvara derives from mot (against) and svara (to answer), with the sense of answering in a way that aligns with a standard or description. In modern Swedish it is a regular verb. Its infinitive is motsvara, and its principal parts are motsvarar (present), motsvarade (past), and motsvarat (supine). It is typically used transitively with a direct object, for example motsvarar ett krav (meets a requirement) or motsvarar verkligheten (corresponds to reality). In subordinate clauses it can take the form det motsvarar vad som sägs.

Examples:

- Det motsvarar dina krav.

- Produkten motsvarar specifikationen.

- Resultatet motsvarade förväntningarna.

Related terms include överensstämma and motsvarande, which express similar ideas of equivalence or alignment.