Swedish word of the day: bada
Bada is one of many Swedish words for bathing or swimming.
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Bada is roughly equivalent to the English word bathe, whether that's bathing in the bath or in a natural body of water such as a lake or in the sea.
It usually implies spending a longer time in the water, as opposed to the word dopp, which refers to more of a quick swim. You might bada in a warm lake at the height of summer, but take a quick dopp at the beginning of the season before the water has warmed up properly.
There are a huge range of bathing-related compound words featuring the word bada, like baddräkt (swimming costume), badplats (swimming spot), badkar (bathtub) and even the Swedish word for a sauna, bastu, which is a shortened version of badstuga, literally a bathhouse.
The use of the word in Swedish means that it's often one of those words that you'll find creeping into your English, until you find yourself asking someone in a somewhat old-fashioned way whether they would like to "bathe in the sea" on a trip to the beach.
The word badkruka (literally 'bathe-pot') is an insult you can use for someone who doesn't like to swim, or who refuses to do so because the water is too cold.
Don't miss any of our Swedish words and expressions of the day by downloading our app (available on Apple and Android) and then selecting the Swedish Word of the Day in your Notification options via the User button
You can also bada bastu (bathe in the sauna), which anyone who has listened to Sweden's Eurovision entry this year, Bara bada bastu by Swedish-speaking Finns KAJ, should be aware of.
Vinterbada or kallbada refer to taking a quick dip in ice cold water during the winter, often either before or after a sauna.
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Another related word is simma, to swim, which implies swimming for sport or to reach a specific goal (i.e. swimming to a boat or island), rather than for leisure, although there is some overlap. You could take a leisurely swim at a lake or at the beach, or a more sporty swim at a simhall (swimming hall) or in a simbassäng (swimming pool).
If you chose to go to the local swimming pool just to bada, however, it implies you're there to lounge around in the swimming lanes rather than to burn some calories.
Example sentences:
Hon ska bada snart om vi ska hinna innan läggdags.
She needs to have a bath soon or there won't be time before bedtime.
Bara bada bastu bastu, heittää på så sveittin bara yr
Just take a sauna, sauna, throw it on so the sweat starts swirling (this is Finland-Swedish slang, so a mix of both languages)
Villa, Volvo, Vovve: The Local's Word Guide to Swedish Life, written by The Local's journalists, is available to order. Head to lysforlag.com/vvv to read more about it. It is also possible to buy your copy from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Bokus or Adlibris.
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