smutsigt

Smutsigt is a Swedish adjective meaning dirty or filthy, applicable to both physical cleanliness and metaphorical impurity. It describes something covered in dirt or grime, as in smutsigt vatten (dirty water), smutsigt fönster or en smutsig bil (a dirty car). It is also used figuratively to denote morally questionable or corrupt behavior or situations, for example ett smutsigt rykte (a dirty reputation) or ett smutsigt spel (a dirty game).

Grammatical forms follow standard Swedish adjective inflection: en smutsig bil, ett smutsigt rum, plural smutsiga bilar, smutsiga rum. The neuter form is smutsigt, while the feminine and plural forms align with the regular patterns of smutsig/smutsiga.

Etymology traces smutsigt to the noun smuts meaning dirt or grime, with the common suffix -igt to form an adjective. The term often carries strong negative connotations and is frequent in both everyday speech and literary or journalistic contexts to emphasize uncleanliness or unethical conduct.

Usage notes: Smutsigt can describe tangible conditions (dirt, uncleanliness) as well as abstract judgments (dishonesty, corruption). In formal contexts, it may be viewed as emphatic or slightly coarse, so more neutral alternatives like ohygieniskt (hygienically unclean) or ojust (unfair/unsavory) might be chosen depending on tone.