omkring

Omkring is a Swedish adverb and preposition meaning around, about, or approximately. It is used to indicate spatial proximity, approximate quantity, or approximate time. In spatial use, omkring introduces distance around or near a location, similar to English around; for example, “Huset ligger omkring två kilometer från staden” (The house is about two kilometers from the town). It is common with numerals or noun phrases and is often interchangeable with runt, though runt is more colloquial and omkring is standard in neutral prose.

In expressions of time, omkring marks an approximate moment: “omkring klockan fem” means around five o’clock. In quantities, it prefixes a rounded estimate: “omkring hundra personer” (about one hundred people). The word can also appear with larger ranges: “omkring 2010-talet” or “omkring år 1900” to indicate roughly that era.

Etymology: omkring is formed from om (around) + kring (circle), reflecting a sense of encircling or surrounding.

Usage notes: in formal writing, synonyms such as cirka or ungefär may be preferred for precision, but omkring remains common in speech and everyday prose. It is versatile in both concrete and figurative contexts.

Translations: common equivalents are around, about, approximately, roughly.

Examples:

Swedish: “Huset ligger omkring tre kilometer från staden.” “Omkring klockan åtta börjar konserten.”

English: “The house is about three kilometers from the town.” “The concert starts around eight o’clock.”