väcka

Väcka is a Swedish verb meaning to wake someone up or to awaken. It is transitive, typically used with a direct object, as in “han väckte barnen” (he woke the children). Beyond literal awakening, väcka is also used metaphorically to arouse or stimulate, for example “väcka intresse” (to arouse interest) or “väcka uppmärksamhet” (to attract attention). The phrase “väcka misstanke” means to arouse suspicion.

Conjugation and forms: infinitive väcka; present väcker; past väckte; supine väckt; past participle väckt; present participle väckande. The imperative is väck (singular), with plural contexts often expressed as “Väck!” or by addressing multiple people with the imperative form of the verb in context. The verb can appear in passive-like constructions with the participle väckt, as in “hon har väckt mig.” Common derived nouns include väckning, meaning the act or process of waking, and väckarklocka, the alarm clock.

Usage notes: Väcka is widely used in everyday language for alarm clocks, caregiving, and social or media contexts where attention or interest is intended to be aroused. It contrasts with vakna, which means to wake up (intransitive, often used for the subject’s own waking). The phrase structures often emphasize causation or effect on another agent or audience.

Etymology: Väcka derives from older Germanic roots associated with waking and arousal, related conceptually to the English wake. The form has parallels in other Scandinavian languages.

See also: väckarklocka, väckning, vakna.