säg

Säg is the imperative form of the Swedish verb säga, meaning to say or to tell. It is used to command or request that someone speak or reveal something. For example: Säg vad du menar. Säg det till henne. The form is commonly used with direct speech or quoted content and can convey emphasis or urgency.

Grammatically, säg is the second-person imperative, used when addressing one or more people in informal contexts. In standard Swedish there is no distinct plural imperative form; säg is used for both singular and plural imperatives depending on context. The verb säga has the following common forms: infinitive säga, present säger, past sade, supine sagt. The full tense system includes jag säger, du säger, han säger in the present; jag sade in the past; jag har sagt in the perfect.

Etymology and cognates: säga derives from Old Norse segja, reflecting a common Germanic root. Related forms appear in other Scandinavian languages, such as Danish sige and Norwegian si, illustrating a shared lineage for the verb meaning to say.

Usage notes: Säg is frequent in everyday speech and in informal writing. It appears in various constructions, including requests, apologies, or clarifications, and can pair with adverbs or modifiers to adjust tone (e.g., Säg det tydligt, Säg det nu). In indirect speech, the imperative form often appears in dialogue or quoted statements. See also: säga, sagt, sade.