obekväma

Obekväma is a Swedish adjective meaning "uncomfortable" or "awkward." It describes something that causes physical discomfort, social unease, or practical inconvenience, as well as situations or truths that feel difficult to confront.

Etymology and sense: The word is built from the prefix ob- meaning "not" and bekväm meaning "comfortable." The combination expresses a lack of comfort or ease. In use, obekväm can refer to tangible conditions (a hard chair), social dynamics (an awkward silence), or abstract circumstances (an inconvenient truth).

Usage: Obekväm is versatile and widely used for people, objects, and events. Common collocations include obekväma frågor (awkward questions), obekväma ställningar or obekväma positioner (uncomfortable positions), obekväma sanningar (uncomfortable truths), and obekväma situationer (awkward situations). In a sentence: Det känns obekvämt att tala om det. The adverb form is obekvämt (he behaved obekvämt).

Forms: In normal written Swedish, the base form obekväm is used with singular common-gender nouns, while the plural form obekväma is used with plural nouns. The adverbial form is obekvämt. The adjective commonly carries nuanced negative or critical connotations, indicating a lack of ease rather than outright hostility.

See also: bekväm (comfortable), behaglig (pleasant), obehaglig (unpleasant), besvärlig (troublesome).