Meaning
to surrender because of external demands
Cultural Background
The concept of 'Konsensusdemokrati' (consensus democracy) means that yielding to pressure is often seen as a necessary part of the political process rather than a total defeat. In Swedish flat hierarchies, a boss might 'ge vika' for the opinions of their employees to maintain a good working environment, which is different from more hierarchical cultures. The term is frequently used in Swedish 'dreva' (media storms/cancel culture) to describe when public figures apologize or step down. During WWII, Sweden's policy of neutrality often involved 'ge vika för trycket' from both the Allied and Axis powers to avoid invasion.
Use in Writing
This is a great phrase to use in the 'argumenterande text' part of the TISUS or SFI exams to show a higher level of vocabulary.
The 'G' Sound
Remember that 'ge' is pronounced with a 'y' sound. If you say it with a hard 'g', Swedes might not understand you immediately.
Meaning
to surrender because of external demands
Use in Writing
This is a great phrase to use in the 'argumenterande text' part of the TISUS or SFI exams to show a higher level of vocabulary.
The 'G' Sound
Remember that 'ge' is pronounced with a 'y' sound. If you say it with a hard 'g', Swedes might not understand you immediately.
Specify the Pressure
To sound more native, specify the pressure: 'grupptrycket' (peer pressure), 'tidsnöd' (time pressure), or 'opinionstrycket' (public opinion).
Test Yourself
Fyll i de ord som saknas i meningen.
Trots att han var envis, ______ han slutligen ______ för trycket.
The correct past tense of 'ge' is 'gav', and the idiom is 'ge vika'.
Vilket alternativ betyder samma sak som 'ge vika för trycket'?
Företaget gav vika för trycket från kunderna.
Giving in to pressure means eventually doing what the external force (the customers) demanded.
Matcha situationen med rätt reaktion.
En politiker ändrar sitt beslut efter massiva protester.
Changing a decision due to protests is a classic example of yielding to pressure.
Slutför dialogen.
A: Varför köpte du den där dyra bilen? B: Alla mina grannar har en, så jag...
Buying something because of neighbors' influence is a form of social pressure.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesTrots att han var envis, ______ han slutligen ______ för trycket.
The correct past tense of 'ge' is 'gav', and the idiom is 'ge vika'.
Företaget gav vika för trycket från kunderna.
Giving in to pressure means eventually doing what the external force (the customers) demanded.
En politiker ändrar sitt beslut efter massiva protester.
Changing a decision due to protests is a classic example of yielding to pressure.
A: Varför köpte du den där dyra bilen? B: Alla mina grannar har en, så jag...
Buying something because of neighbors' influence is a form of social pressure.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, it is perfectly correct to say 'Bron gav vika för trycket' if it collapsed under weight.
Usually, yes. It implies you lost a battle of wills. However, in politics, it can be seen as pragmatic.
'Ge vika' is slightly more formal and emphasizes the 'folding' or 'yielding' aspect, while 'ge efter' is more common in daily speech.
You say 'Jag gav inte vika' or 'Jag stod emot trycket'.
Always 'för'. 'Till' is a common mistake for English speakers.
No, the verb is 'ge'. 'Vika' is the thing you are doing (yielding).
Yes, very often during negotiations or when a company changes its strategy due to market pressure.
Etymologically yes, but in this idiom, it means 'to yield'.
Yes, 'Han gav vika för trycket att gifta sig' is a perfect use case.
In formal speech, yes. In casual speech, it's often dropped: 'trycke'.
Related Phrases
ge efter
synonymto yield or give in
falla till föga
similarto finally submit
stå emot
contrastto resist
vika ner sig
informalto cave in
kapitulera
synonymto capitulate
