snåla

Snåla is a Swedish verb meaning to be stingy or to skimp, especially in the sense of spending money or using resources. It describes holding back more than is reasonable and is commonly used with the preposition med: snåla med pengar, snåla med tid. The related adjective snål denotes a stingy person or attitude.

Conjugation is regular. Infinitive: snåla. Present tense: jag snålar, du snålar, han/hon snålar, vi snålar, ni snålar, de snålar. Past tense: snålade. Supine: snålat. Perfect: har snålat. Imperative: snåla (used mainly in informal speech and can sound admonitory).

Usage notes: Snåla is informal and can be pejorative, often used humorously or critically. It can describe individuals, organizations, or decisions that are reluctant to spend or share resources. In many contexts it is contrasted with sparsam, which carries a more neutral or positive sense of prudent thrift.

Etymology: The verb is formed from the adjective snål; the adjective itself traces to older North Germanic roots with attested forms in Old Swedish. The exact development of the verb from the adjective is not fully documented in concise references.

See also: snål, sparsam, and the English word stingy.