A2 Collocation Neutral

skriva under

Sign

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'skriva under' when you need to sign a contract, a letter, or any official document in Swedish.

  • Means: To put your signature on a document to make it official.
  • Used in: Job contracts, apartment leases, and petition signing.
  • Don't confuse: 'Skriva under' (sign) with 'skriva ner' (write down/take notes).
📄 + ✍️ = ✅ (Document + Writing = Agreement)

Explanation at your level:

In Swedish, 'skriva under' means to sign your name. You use it for simple things. For example, 'Jag skriver under brevet' (I sign the letter). It is two words: 'skriva' (to write) and 'under' (under). Remember to say 'under' a bit louder.
At this level, you use 'skriva under' for official tasks. When you get a job or rent a room, you need to 'skriva under ett kontrakt'. It is a phrasal verb. This means the two words work together. The stress is on 'under'. You can also use it to say you agree with a friend's idea.
As an intermediate learner, you should distinguish between 'skriva under' and 'signera'. Use 'skriva under' for physical papers and 'signera' for digital ones, though they are often interchangeable. Notice the word order: 'Han har skrivit under det'. If you agree with an opinion, add 'på': 'Jag skriver under på det'.
At B2, you should be comfortable with the passive form and formal variations. 'Avtalet blev underskrivet igår' (The agreement was signed yesterday). You understand that 'skriva under' carries a sense of legal obligation and personal integrity. You can use it in professional settings to confirm that all parties have reached a consensus.
Advanced learners should appreciate the nuance between the separable 'skriva under' and the inseparable 'underskriva'. The latter is found in formal legal prose and administrative Swedish. You should also master the metaphorical usage in academic or political discourse, where 'skriva under på en ideologi' implies a deep, systemic alignment with a set of values.
At the mastery level, you recognize 'skriva under' as a performative speech act. By saying 'Jag skriver under på detta', you are not just agreeing, but legally or ethically binding yourself to a position. You can navigate the subtle shifts in register between the colloquial phrasal verb and the stiff, bureaucratic 'underskrift' in historical or legal documents.

Bedeutung

To write one's signature on a document.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

Digital signatures via BankID are legally equivalent to physical signatures and are used for everything from taxes to medical records. The act of signing often follows a long period of discussion to ensure consensus, a key part of Swedish 'lagom' culture. In Sweden, a witness (vittne) is often required for important signatures like wills or real estate transfers. Signing petitions (namninsamlingar) is a common way for Swedes to engage in local democracy. Receipts are rarely signed in Sweden anymore; PIN codes or contactless payments have replaced the signature in retail.

💡

The Stress Rule

Always stress the particle 'under'. If you don't, Swedes might think you are literally writing words beneath a picture.

⚠️

Digital vs Physical

If you are using BankID, you can say 'signera' or 'skriva under', but 'signera' is slightly more common in the app interface.

Bedeutung

To write one's signature on a document.

💡

The Stress Rule

Always stress the particle 'under'. If you don't, Swedes might think you are literally writing words beneath a picture.

⚠️

Digital vs Physical

If you are using BankID, you can say 'signera' or 'skriva under', but 'signera' is slightly more common in the app interface.

🎯

Metaphorical Use

Using 'skriva under på' in a debate makes you sound very fluent and confident in your agreement.

💬

BankID is King

In Sweden, 'skriva under' almost always implies having your phone ready for BankID verification.

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the correct form of 'skriva under'.

Jag har redan _______ kontraktet.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: skrivit under

We use the supine form 'skrivit' after the auxiliary verb 'har'.

Which sentence uses the figurative meaning correctly?

I agree with your opinion.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Jag skriver under på din åsikt.

For metaphorical agreement, we use 'skriva under på'.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Kan du _____ här? B: Javisst, jag har en penna.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: skriva under

The context of having a pen to sign suggests 'skriva under'.

Match the phrase to the situation.

You are at the bank and they give you a paper.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Skriv under här.

Banks require signatures on documents.

Match the Swedish to English.

Match the following:

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: skriva under - to sign

These are common particle verbs with 'skriva'.

🎉 Ergebnis: /5

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Skriva Under vs Skriva Ner

skriva under
Signera To sign
skriva ner
Anteckna To take notes

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Mostly, yes. 'Skriva under' is the traditional phrasal verb, while 'signera' is a loanword that is very common for digital signatures.

No, for a physical contract, just say 'skriva under kontraktet'. Use 'på' only for agreeing with ideas.

It is the noun form, meaning 'signature'.

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your friends.

Jag skrev under (past) or Jag har skrivit under (present perfect).

Because it is a particle verb. In Swedish, the particle always carries the stress to change the meaning of the base verb.

Yes, 'skriva under ett brev' is very common.

It also means to sign, but it's slightly more casual. It's like saying 'sign on' instead of 'sign'.

Almost never. You usually use a PIN or a chip.

Linguistically, you still 'skriver under' because it's the act of signing, not the literal position anymore.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

skriva på

similar

to sign (often used for contracts)

🔗

skriva ner

contrast

to write down

🔗

en underskrift

builds on

a signature

🔄

signera

synonym

to sign

🔗

bevittna

specialized form

to witness a signature

Wo du es verwendest

🏠

Renting an apartment

Hyresvärd: Här är kontraktet. Kan du skriva under här?

Hyresgäst: Självklart, jag skriver under direkt.

formal
💼

Getting a job

Chef: Välkommen till teamet! Du behöver bara skriva under anställningsavtalet.

Anställd: Tack! Jag har redan skrivit under med BankID.

formal
☕

Agreeing with a friend

Kompis A: Jag tycker att vi borde ha mer semester.

Kompis B: Det kan jag verkligen skriva under på!

informal
📦

Receiving a package

Bud: Ett paket till dig. Kan du skriva under på skärmen?

Mottagare: Javisst, jag skriver under här.

neutral
📝

Signing a petition

Aktivist: Vill du skriva under för att rädda skogen?

Person: Ja, jag skriver under gärna.

neutral
💍

Marriage ceremony

Vigselförrättare: Nu är det dags att skriva under hindersprövningen.

Brudgum: Jag skriver under med glädje.

formal
🏦

Opening a bank account

Banktjänsteman: Vi behöver att du skriver under dessa papper.

Kund: Kan jag skriva under digitalt istället?

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of the word 'UNDER'. You always write your name UNDER the text of a contract.

Visual Association

Imagine a giant golden pen signing its name at the very bottom of a long scroll that reaches the floor.

Rhyme

När allt är klart och du är redo, skriv under här och säg 'nu kör vi'!

Story

Erik wants to buy a house. He reads 100 pages of rules. Finally, he reaches the bottom of the last page. He takes his favorite pen and writes his name 'under' the rules. Now he has 'skrivit under' and the house is his.

Word Web

pennanamnteckningavtalkontraktpapperBankIDbläckunderskrift

Herausforderung

Find any piece of paper today, pretend it's a million-dollar contract, and say out loud: 'Jag skriver under nu' while you sign it.

In Other Languages

Spanish low

Firmar

Spanish is a single verb, Swedish is a phrasal verb.

French low

Signer

French uses a Latin root, Swedish uses a Germanic phrasal construction.

German high

Unterschreiben

German is inseparable (usually), Swedish is separable.

Japanese none

署名する (Shomei suru)

Japanese uses a noun-verb compound.

Arabic none

وقع (Waqqa'a)

The conceptual metaphor is 'falling' vs Swedish 'writing under'.

Chinese partial

签名 (Qiānmíng)

Chinese focuses on the 'name' part, Swedish on the 'under' part.

Korean none

서명하다 (Seomyeonghada)

Korean is a formal compound verb.

Portuguese low

Assinar

Portuguese uses a single Latin-based verb.

Easily Confused

skriva under vs. skriva ner

Learners often mix up 'under' and 'ner' because both imply a downward motion.

Remember: 'Under' is for the bottom of the page (signing), 'Ner' is for getting words onto the paper (writing).

skriva under vs. skriva på

Both mean 'to sign', but 'skriva på' is slightly more informal.

Use 'skriva under' for official documents to be safe.

FAQ (10)

Mostly, yes. 'Skriva under' is the traditional phrasal verb, while 'signera' is a loanword that is very common for digital signatures.

No, for a physical contract, just say 'skriva under kontraktet'. Use 'på' only for agreeing with ideas.

It is the noun form, meaning 'signature'.

It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your friends.

Jag skrev under (past) or Jag har skrivit under (present perfect).

Because it is a particle verb. In Swedish, the particle always carries the stress to change the meaning of the base verb.

Yes, 'skriva under ett brev' is very common.

It also means to sign, but it's slightly more casual. It's like saying 'sign on' instead of 'sign'.

Almost never. You usually use a PIN or a chip.

Linguistically, you still 'skriver under' because it's the act of signing, not the literal position anymore.

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