nackdel

Nackdel is a native Swedish noun meaning disadvantage or drawback. It denotes a negative aspect, cost, or risk associated with a person, decision, object, or plan. It is commonly used alongside its opposite, fördel (advantage), to weigh pros and cons in both everyday speech and formal writing.

Grammatically, nackdel is a common-gender noun: en nackdel. Its plural form is nackdelar, and the definite forms are nackdelen (singular) and nackdelarna (plural). Examples: “En nackdel med den här lösningen är kostnaden.” “Nackdelarna med metoden inkluderar tidsåtgången.”

Usage and nuance: Nackdel is used to present a single drawback or a set of drawbacks, with nackdelar used for the plural. It is common in both spoken Swedish and formal contexts, such as business reports, risk assessments, and arguments where pros and cons are discussed. The term is widely understood in Swedish and serves as the standard counterpart to fördel (advantage) in analyses and decision-making discussions.