träffa

Träffa is a Swedish verb meaning to meet or encounter someone or something. It can describe a planned meeting with a person, as in “vi träffas nästa vecka,” or a chance encounter, as in “jag träffade henne i tunnelbanan.” The verb is transitive and commonly used with a direct object (another person, a place, or a situation). It can also be used in a figurative sense, for example to say that someone has met a goal or standard, as in “träffade målet” or in expressions like “träffa rätt,” meaning to hit the mark or be accurate.

Conjugation and forms: infinitive träffa; present träffar; past tense/preterite träffade; supine/träffat (used with have in perfect tenses, e.g., “har träffat”); past participle in passive contexts is often träffad. The reciprocal form träffas is used when people meet each other, as in “vi träffas varje vecka.” Other related forms include träffande (present participle) and träffad (passive participle in certain constructions).

Etymology and related terms: träffa derives from the Germanic language family and is cognate with Danish træffe and German treffen, sharing the sense of “to meet” or “to hit.” The noun träff means a meeting or encounter and can also refer to a hit in some contexts, such as sports or outcomes.

Usage notes: träffa is versatile in everyday Swedish. With personer, the common construction is träffa someone (to meet someone). Traffa finns i phrases such as träffas (to meet each other) and träffa rätt (to hit the mark). In dating or social contexts, människor often use träffa in the sense of arranging or experiencing a meeting, while metaphorical uses cover meeting criteria or expectations.