pågår

Pågår is a Swedish verb form meaning "to be in progress" or "to take place." It is used to describe events, processes, or situations that are currently occurring. The infinitive of the verb is pågå, and pågår functions as the present tense form used with the subject in most present-tense clauses, often in impersonal constructions or with singular nouns referring to events.

Etymology and grammar: Pågå is a compound of på- and gå, conveying the sense that something "goes on." The present-tense form pågår is followed by the subject, as in pågår i dag, eller “is ongoing today.” The simple past is pågick, and the supine or perfect participle is pågått, used with auxiliary har or hade to form perfect tenses such as har pågått or hade pågått. The expression is intransitive, typically describing events rather than transitive actions.

Usage: The verb is common in news reporting, official statements, and everyday language to indicate that a situation continues at the moment of speaking. It is often paired with time adverbs such as fortfarande, nu, or just nu. Examples include kampen pågår fortfarande (the battle is ongoing) and mötet pågår nu (the meeting is in progress now). It can also describe longer-running processes or investigations.

See also: related verbs such as gå (to go) and pågått (past participle form), as well as other Swedish verb forms used to describe ongoing states.

In sum, pågår is a concise, neutral term used to express that something is currently happening or continuing, making it a staple in descriptive and journalistic Swedish.