Significado
To invent or create something.
Contexto cultural
Swedes often use 'hitta på' to avoid being too direct. Instead of saying 'I want to go to the movies,' they say 'Ska vi hitta på något?', allowing the other person to suggest something. The character Pippi Longstocking (Pippi Långstrump) is the queen of 'hitta på.' She constantly invents games and stories, making the phrase central to Swedish children's culture. In Swedish 'fika' sessions, 'hitta på' is used to brainstorm low-stakes improvements to the office environment. Swedish influencers use 'hitta på' when announcing new challenges or collaborations, often using the hashtag #hittapå.
The Stress Rule
Always stress 'på'. If you stress 'hitta', Swedes will think you are looking for something physical.
Don't over-invent
In formal business reports, use 'utarbeta' (develop) or 'planera' instead of 'hitta på' to sound more professional.
Significado
To invent or create something.
The Stress Rule
Always stress 'på'. If you stress 'hitta', Swedes will think you are looking for something physical.
Don't over-invent
In formal business reports, use 'utarbeta' (develop) or 'planera' instead of 'hitta på' to sound more professional.
The 'Något' Shortcut
In casual speech, 'hitta på något' often becomes 'hitta på nåt'.
Softening Lies
Use 'hitta på' when you want to gently tell someone they are wrong without calling them a liar.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the missing part of the phrasal verb.
Vad ska vi hitta ___ ikväll?
'Hitta på' is the fixed idiom for 'doing something' or 'making something up.'
Which sentence means 'He is lying'?
Välj rätt mening:
'Hitta på' combined with 'historia' (story) implies fabrication.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of 'hitta på'.
A: Jag har tråkigt. B: Vi kan ______ något roligt!
After the modal verb 'kan', we use the infinitive form 'hitta på'.
Match the sentence to the context.
Sentence: 'Sluta hitta på!'
This is a common way to tell someone to stop making things up.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Hitta vs. Hitta på
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosVad ska vi hitta ___ ikväll?
'Hitta på' is the fixed idiom for 'doing something' or 'making something up.'
Välj rätt mening:
'Hitta på' combined with 'historia' (story) implies fabrication.
A: Jag har tråkigt. B: Vi kan ______ något roligt!
After the modal verb 'kan', we use the infinitive form 'hitta på'.
Sentence: 'Sluta hitta på!'
This is a common way to tell someone to stop making things up.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
12 preguntasYou can in casual speech, but 'uppfinna' is the standard word for technical inventions.
No, it can mean 'to lie' or 'to make up excuses,' which can be negative depending on the context.
'Hitta på' is a deliberate act of creation, while 'komma på' is a sudden realization or inspiration.
You say 'Jag hittade på det.' Note that 'det' comes after 'på'.
No, it is a standard phrasal verb used by everyone in Sweden.
Yes! 'Jag hittade på ett recept' means you improvised or created a new recipe.
It's a noun meaning 'a whim' or 'a fabrication.'
In Swedish particle verbs, the stress almost always falls on the particle to distinguish it from a regular verb + preposition.
Yes, that is a very common way to say 'invent a game.'
Yes, if you are talking about creative problem solving: 'Jag hittade på en lösning.'
No, 'to find out' is 'ta reda på.'
Yes, it is one of the first phrasal verbs Swedish children learn.
Frases relacionadas
komma på
similarTo suddenly think of something.
tänka ut
similarTo devise or plan carefully.
uppfinna
specialized formTo invent (technically).
ljuga
similarTo lie.
styra upp
similarTo organize or fix.
