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A2 verb 8 min read

laga

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips laga in 30 Seconds

Explanation laga in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the most common phrase: 'laga mat' (to cook food). This is a basic survival phrase. You will use it to describe your daily routine. For example, 'Jag lagar mat klockan sex' (I cook food at six o'clock). At this stage, don't worry too much about the 'repair' meaning; just remember that 'laga' + 'mat' = cooking. It is a regular verb, so it follows the simplest pattern in Swedish grammar. You will see it in early chapters of textbooks alongside other daily activities like 'sover', 'äter', and 'arbetar'.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'laga' for simple repairs. You should be able to say things like 'Jag måste laga min cykel' (I must repair my bike) or 'Kan du laga min tröja?' (Can you repair my sweater?). You also start to use the past tense 'lagade' to talk about what you did yesterday. You understand that 'laga' requires a physical object. You might also encounter the word 'matlagning' (cooking/the act of cooking) as a noun. This is the level where the dual meaning of the word becomes clear and useful in more varied conversations.

By B1, you are comfortable using 'laga' in various tenses and contexts, including the dental context ('laga en tand'). You can distinguish between 'laga' and 'reparera', choosing 'laga' for everyday items and 'reparera' for more professional or industrial contexts. You can use it in sub-clauses, like 'Eftersom jag lagade maten igår, kan du göra det idag' (Since I cooked the food yesterday, you can do it today). You also begin to recognize common collocations like 'laga efter läge' (to make do with what you have/improvise).

At the B2 level, you use 'laga' with nuance. You understand its role in Swedish compound words like 'lagning' (a repair/a patch). You can use it in more abstract but still physically-rooted ways, such as 'laga revor i samhällsväven' (repairing tears in the social fabric), though this is more poetic. You are also aware of the passive forms ('maten lagas', 'bilen lagades') and can use them correctly in formal writing or reporting. You understand the stylistic difference between 'laga mat' and the more formal 'tillaga en måltid'.

At the C1 level, 'laga' is a word you use with total precision. You are aware of its etymological roots and how it relates to the concept of 'law' (lag) in the sense of 'putting things in order'. You can use the word in professional settings, perhaps discussing the 'lagning' of historical artifacts or the economic benefits of 'att laga' in a circular economy. You understand subtle idiomatic uses and can switch between 'laga', 'fixa', 'avhjälpa', and 'reparera' to perfectly match the register of your conversation or text.

At the C2 level, you have a native-like command of 'laga'. You can appreciate its use in classic Swedish literature or older legal texts where 'laga' might mean 'right' or 'lawful' (e.g., 'i laga ordning' - in due order). You use the verb and its derivatives effortlessly in any context, from a casual chat about a broken zipper to a high-level technical discussion about infrastructure maintenance. You can play with the word's double meaning for rhetorical effect and have a deep understanding of its cultural significance in the Swedish 'repair-over-replace' ethos.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

laga in 30 Seconds

Laga means to cook food or repair physical objects.
It is a regular Group 1 verb (laga, lagar, lagade, lagat).
Use 'laga mat' for cooking and 'laga' + object for fixing.
Do not use it for fixing conceptual problems or baking cakes.

The Swedish verb laga is a versatile and essential word in the daily life of any Swede. At its core, it refers to the act of making something functional again or preparing something for consumption. For English speakers, it is most helpful to think of laga as a dual-purpose verb that covers both 'to repair' and 'to cook/prepare'. This duality might seem strange at first, but in the Swedish mindset, both actions involve taking disparate parts or broken elements and 'putting them right' or 'making them ready'. Whether you are standing in a kitchen with a pile of vegetables or in a garage with a broken bicycle, laga is the action you are performing.

Culinary Context: When used with 'mat' (food), it means to cook. 'Jag lagar mat' is the standard way to say 'I am cooking dinner'. It implies the whole process of preparation.
Restorative Context: When used with objects like 'bil' (car), 'kläder' (clothes), or 'cykel' (bike), it means to fix or mend. It suggests restoring functionality to something that was broken or worn out.
Medical Context: In dentistry, Swedes use 'laga en tand' to describe the process of getting a filling. It literally means 'to repair a tooth'.

Mamma håller på att laga min gamla favorittröja som gick sönder igår.

Translation: Mom is busy repairing my old favorite sweater that broke yesterday.

The frequency of this word cannot be overstated. From the moment a Swede wakes up and considers matlagning (cooking) for the day, to the moment they notice a loose button on their coat, laga is the go-to verb. It belongs to the first group of Swedish verbs (Group 1), which makes its conjugation very predictable and easy for learners to master. Unlike the English 'fix', which can be very informal or mean 'to arrange', laga is specifically about restoration or preparation.

Vi kan laga maten tillsammans ikväll om du vill.

Translation: We can cook the food together tonight if you want.

The 'Fix-it' Mindset: In Sweden, there is a strong cultural value placed on sustainability and 'circularity'. Therefore, 'laga' instead of 'slänga' (throw away) is a common theme in public discourse and environmental campaigns.

Using laga correctly requires understanding its grammatical behavior as a Group 1 verb. This is the most common verb group in Swedish, characterized by the 'a' ending in almost all forms. The pattern is laga (infinitive), lagar (present), lagade (past), and lagat (supine). Because the word has two distinct meanings, the object of the sentence usually clarifies the intent immediately.

Han lagade bilen hela lördagen.

Translation: He repaired the car all Saturday.

When you want to express the act of cooking, the phrase is almost always laga mat. In English, we often just say 'I am cooking,' but in Swedish, the object mat (food) is typically included unless the context is incredibly specific. For example, 'Vem lagar?' (Who is cooking?) is acceptable in a kitchen setting, but 'Jag lagar mat' is the standard complete thought.

Present Tense Usage: 'Hon lagar mat nu.' (She is cooking food now.) Note that Swedish doesn't have a separate 'is cooking' form; the simple present 'lagar' covers both 'cooks' and 'is cooking'.
Past Tense Usage: 'Vi lagade punka på cykeln.' (We fixed a flat tire on the bike.) The past tense 'lagade' is used for completed actions in the past.

Har du någonsin lagat en trasig skärm?

Translation: Have you ever repaired a broken screen?

A subtle point for advanced learners: laga can also be part of compound verbs or phrasal structures. However, for A2-B1 levels, focusing on the direct object relationship is key. If the object is edible, you are cooking. If the object is mechanical, electronic, or textile, you are repairing. It is one of the few verbs that transitions so seamlessly between the kitchen and the workshop.

Imperative Form: 'Laga min klocka!' (Repair my watch!) The imperative is the same as the infinitive for Group 1 verbs.

In Sweden, you will hear laga in a variety of social and professional settings. In the domestic sphere, it is the soundtrack to family life. 'Vad ska vi laga till middag?' (What should we cook for dinner?) is perhaps the most common question asked in Swedish households around 4:00 PM. You'll hear it in grocery stores when people discuss recipes, or on popular cooking shows like 'Sveriges mästerkock'.

Jag hörde att han kan laga nästan vad som helst, från mobiler till gamla klockor.

Translation: I heard that he can repair almost anything, from mobiles to old watches.

Step into a skrädderi (tailor shop) or a bilverkstad (car workshop), and the word takes on its mechanical meaning. A mechanic might tell you, 'Vi kan laga det här, men det blir dyrt' (We can fix this, but it will be expensive). It is a pragmatic word, devoid of fluff, used by professionals to describe the restoration of value to an object.

In the Media: News reports on infrastructure often use 'laga' when discussing 'laga vägar' (repairing roads) or 'laga rör' (fixing pipes).
Social Media: On Instagram or TikTok, Swedish creators use hashtags like #matlagning or #laga själv to showcase DIY repairs or home-cooked meals.

In a broader sense, laga is heard in the context of 'Sustainability'. Sweden has laws that provide tax breaks for 'reparationer' (repairs), and you will often hear politicians or environmentalists encourage citizens to 'laga istället för att köpa nytt' (repair instead of buying new). This gives the word a modern, ethical weight that goes beyond simple chores.

One of the most frequent errors English speakers make is using laga for 'fixing' a problem that isn't physical. In English, we 'fix a situation' or 'fix a meeting'. In Swedish, laga is strictly for physical objects or food. If you want to fix a problem, you should use 'lösa' (solve) or 'ordna' (arrange/fix). Saying 'Jag ska laga problemet' sounds like you are going to take a screwdriver to a conceptual issue.

Fel: Jag måste laga schemat. (Incorrect: I must fix the schedule.)

Rätt: Jag måste ordna schemat. (Correct: I must arrange/fix the schedule.)

Confusion with 'Fixa': While 'fixa' is used in Swedish, it is much more informal and broad. You can 'fixa mat', but 'laga mat' is the proper term. 'Fixa' often implies getting something done quickly or arranging it, whereas 'laga' implies the actual work of repairing or cooking.
The 'Cook' vs 'Bake' distinction: Never use 'laga' for cakes, bread, or cookies. For those, use 'baka'. You 'laga middag' (cook dinner) but 'bakar en tårta' (bake a cake).

Another mistake is forgetting the object when talking about cooking. While in English you can say 'I'm cooking,' in Swedish, simply saying 'Jag lagar' sounds incomplete. It begs the question: 'What are you repairing?' or 'What are you cooking?'. Always add 'mat' (food) or the specific dish name to be clear.

While laga is the workhorse of the Swedish kitchen and workshop, there are several other words you should know to sound more precise or natural depending on the context. Understanding the nuances between 'laga', 'reparera', and 'fixa' will significantly elevate your Swedish proficiency.

Reparera vs. Laga: 'Reparera' is more formal and often used for complex machinery, buildings, or technical systems. You 'laga' a sock, but a company 'reparerar' a bridge. However, in daily speech, 'laga' is often used for both.
Tillaga: This is a more formal or technical term for cooking. You see it in recipes: 'Tillaga i ugnen i 20 minuter' (Prepare/cook in the oven for 20 minutes). It focuses on the method of preparation.
Fixa: The slangy, all-purpose cousin. 'Kan du fixa det?' (Can you fix/arrange/sort it?). It's very common in spoken Swedish but lacks the specific 'restoration' meaning of 'laga'.

Vi måste reparera taket innan vintern, men jag kan laga den där lilla läckan själv så länge.

Translation: We must repair the roof before winter, but I can fix that little leak myself for now.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"Vi måste laga de tekniska bristerna."

Neutral

"Jag ska laga mat nu."

Informal

"Kan du laga min grej?"

Child friendly

"Ska vi laga mat i leksaksköket?"

Slang

"Fixa krubbet (slang for cooking food)."

Fun Fact

Because 'laga' comes from the word for 'law' (lag), the original sense was 'to make something follow the rules/order'. This is why it applies to both cooking and fixing!

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˈlɑːɡa/

US /ˈlɑɡə/

Stress is on the first syllable: LA-ga.

Rhymes With

haga jaga klaga saga taga vaga draga maga

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'g' as a 'j' (like 'y' in yes). It should be a hard 'g'.
Making the first 'a' too short. It should be a long, open vowel.
Confusing the pitch accent; it uses Accent 1 (acute).

Difficulty Rating

Reading 1/5

Very easy to recognize in text.

Writing 2/5

Easy conjugation but remember the dual meaning.

Speaking 2/5

Hard 'g' sound is important for clarity.

Listening 1/5

Commonly used and usually clear.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

mat bil trasig äta göra

Learn Next

reparera tillaga baka fixa ordna

Advanced

iståndsätta avhjälpa vörda lagstifta

Grammar to Know

Group 1 Verbs

laga -> lagar -> lagade -> lagat

V2 Rule

Nu lagar jag mat.

Passive -s

Maten lagas av kocken.

Infinitive with 'att'

Jag gillar att laga mat.

Compound Nouns

Mat + lagning = matlagning

Examples by Level

Jag lagar mat.

I cook food.

Present tense of Group 1 verb.

Lagar du mat nu?

Are you cooking food now?

Inverted word order for question.

Han vill laga mat.

He wants to cook food.

Infinitive after auxiliary verb 'vill'.

Vi lagar pasta.

We are cooking pasta.

Direct object 'pasta'.

Mamma lagar mat.

Mom is cooking food.

Simple subject-verb-object.

De lagar god mat.

They cook good food.

Adjective 'god' describing the object.

Jag lagar inte mat.

I am not cooking food.

Negation 'inte' after the verb.

Ska vi laga mat?

Shall we cook food?

Future intent with 'ska'.

Kan du laga min cykel?

Can you repair my bike?

Using 'laga' as 'repair'.

Jag lagade mat igår.

I cooked food yesterday.

Past tense 'lagade'.

Hon lagar sin tröja.

She is repairing her sweater.

Repairing a textile.

Vi måste laga bilen.

We must repair the car.

Necessity with 'måste'.

Pappa lagade frukost.

Dad cooked breakfast.

Specific meal as object.

Har du lagat hålet?

Have you fixed the hole?

Present perfect tense.

Jag kan laga det själv.

I can fix it myself.

Reflexive 'själv'.

Vem lagade dörren?

Who fixed the door?

Question word 'vem'.

Tandläkaren ska laga min tand.

The dentist is going to fix my tooth.

Medical context for 'laga'.

Det är billigare att laga än att köpa nytt.

It is cheaper to repair than to buy new.

Infinitive as subject phrase.

Jag har lagat mat till tio personer.

I have cooked food for ten people.

Prepositional phrase 'till tio personer'.

Vi lagade punka på vägen.

We fixed a flat tire on the way.

Colloquial 'laga punka'.

Kan du laga klockan åt mig?

Can you repair the watch for me?

Benefactive 'åt mig'.

Han är duktig på att laga saker.

He is good at repairing things.

Adjective + preposition 'på att'.

Jag lagade mat medan hon städade.

I cooked food while she cleaned.

Conjunction 'medan'.

Tröjan blev som ny när jag lagade den.

The sweater became like new when I repaired it.

Resultative clause.

Maten lagas bäst på låg värme.

The food is best cooked on low heat.

Passive voice 'lagas'.

De lagade sprickorna i muren.

They repaired the cracks in the wall.

Concrete physical repair.

Det krävs tålamod för att laga finmekanik.

Patience is required to repair fine mechanics.

Abstract requirement 'krävs'.

Jag föredrar att laga mat från grunden.

I prefer to cook food from scratch.

Idiom 'från grunden'.

Vägen lagades under natten.

The road was repaired during the night.

Passive past 'lagades'.

Vi får laga efter läge helt enkelt.

We'll just have to make do with what we have.

Idiomatic expression.

Att laga kläder är en viktig miljögärning.

Repairing clothes is an important environmental act.

Gerund-like infinitive usage.

Hon lagade middagen med stor omsorg.

She prepared the dinner with great care.

Adverbial phrase 'med stor omsorg'.

Restaurangen fokuserar på närproducerat och vällagat.

The restaurant focuses on locally produced and well-cooked food.

Participle 'vällagat' used as noun/adj.

Man försöker nu laga revorna i det sociala skyddsnätet.

Attempts are now being made to repair the tears in the social safety net.

Metaphorical usage.

Konstverket måste lagas av en expertkonservator.

The artwork must be repaired by an expert conservator.

Formal passive with agent.

Det är en utmaning att laga gamla rörsystem.

It is a challenge to repair old piping systems.

Dummy subject 'det'.

Han har en förmåga att laga även de mest hopplösa fall.

He has an ability to fix even the most hopeless cases.

Superlative 'mest hopplösa'.

Genom att laga snarare än att byta ut sparar vi resurser.

By repairing rather than replacing, we save resources.

Prepositional 'genom att'.

Laga maten så att den behåller sin näring.

Cook the food so that it retains its nutrition.

Resultative 'så att'.

Det finns ingen laga kraft i det beslutet än.

There is no legal force in that decision yet.

Archaic/Legal 'laga' (legal/due).

Det åligger kommunen att laga de trasiga vägarna.

It is incumbent upon the municipality to repair the broken roads.

Formal verb 'åligger'.

Att laga mat ses ofta som en meditativ handling.

Cooking food is often seen as a meditative act.

Complex philosophical sentence.

Hålet i ozonskiktet börjar äntligen laga sig självt.

The hole in the ozone layer is finally starting to repair itself.

Reflexive 'laga sig'.

Han lagade sina skor med en skicklighet som vittnade om år av erfarenhet.

He repaired his shoes with a skill that bore witness to years of experience.

Relative clause with 'vittnade om'.

Det är svårt att laga en brusten tillit.

It is difficult to repair a broken trust.

Metaphorical/Emotional context.

I laga ordning fattades beslutet vid stämman.

In due order, the decision was made at the meeting.

Fixed legal expression.

Vi måste laga det som brister i vår organisation.

We must fix what is lacking in our organization.

Abstract organizational context.

Måltiden var omsorgsfullt lagad med lokala delikatesser.

The meal was carefully prepared with local delicacies.

Past participle as adjective.

Common Collocations

laga mat

laga en tand

laga bilen

laga hål

laga punka

laga efter läge

vällagad mat

laga kläder

laga mat tillsammans

laga rör

Common Phrases

Vad ska vi laga?

— What are we going to cook?

Vad ska vi laga till middag ikväll?

Det går att laga.

— It can be fixed.

Släng inte mobilen, det går att laga den.

Vem lagar maten?

— Who is cooking the food?

Vem lagar maten idag, du eller jag?

Laga i ordning

— To prepare or set right.

Hon lagade i ordning rummet.

Laga till något

— To whip something up (food).

Jag kan laga till något snabbt.

Laga en läcka

— To fix a leak.

Vi måste laga en läcka i taket.

Laga trasiga saker

— Repairing broken things.

Han tycker om att laga trasiga saker.

Laga ett segel

— Repairing a sail.

Sjömannen lagade ett segel.

Laga mat från grunden

— Cooking from scratch.

Det är godast att laga mat från grunden.

Laga ett staket

— Fixing a fence.

Jag ska laga staketet i helgen.

Often Confused With

laga vs lägga

Sounds similar but means 'to lay' or 'to put'.

laga vs ljuga

Sounds slightly similar but means 'to lie' (tell a falsehood).

laga vs laka

Means to leach or soak, very rare compared to laga.

Idioms & Expressions

"Laga efter läge"

— To improvise or make the best of a situation.

Planen ändrades, så vi fick laga efter läge.

common

"Laga revor"

— To heal divisions or fix problems (often social).

Politikerna försöker laga revorna i samhället.

formal/metaphorical

"I laga ordning"

— In due/legal order.

Beslutet togs i laga ordning.

legal

"Laga kraft"

— Legal force (of a judgment).

Domen har vunnit laga kraft.

legal

"Laga förfall"

— Lawful excuse (for absence).

Han hade laga förfall för att inte komma.

legal

"Laga mat med kärlek"

— To cook with love.

Hemligheten är att laga mat med kärlek.

informal

"Laga hålen i budgeten"

— To fix the holes in the budget.

Vi måste laga hålen i budgeten snabbt.

business

"Laga sina fiskar"

— To prepare for something (rare/old).

Han lagade sina fiskar väl.

archaic

"Laga till en fest"

— To prepare for a party.

Vi lagar till en riktig fest.

neutral

"Laga det som är brustet"

— To mend what is broken (emotional).

Det tar tid att laga det som är brustet.

poetic

Easily Confused

laga vs baka

Both involve the kitchen.

'Laga' is for meals/cooking, 'baka' is for bread/cakes.

Jag bakar bröd men lagar middag.

laga vs fixa

Both mean 'to fix'.

'Laga' is for physical repair, 'fixa' is for organizing or quick fixes.

Jag fixar biljetterna, du lagar bilen.

laga vs reparera

Both mean 'to repair'.

'Reparera' is more formal/technical.

De reparerar vägen.

laga vs ordna

Means 'to fix' a situation.

'Laga' is physical, 'ordna' is conceptual/organizational.

Jag ordnar problemet.

laga vs steka

A type of cooking.

'Laga' is the general term, 'steka' is specifically frying.

Jag lagar mat genom att steka fisk.

Sentence Patterns

Jag lagar [mat].

Jag lagar mat.

Kan du laga [object]?

Kan du laga min bil?

Jag har lagat [object] åt [person].

Jag har lagat tröjan åt dig.

Det är [adjective] att laga [object].

Det är svårt att laga klockan.

[Object] lagas av [person].

Maten lagas av pappa.

Istället för att slänga, bör man laga.

Att laga [abstract object] kräver [noun].

Att laga förtroendet kräver tid.

I laga ordning ska [noun] [verb].

I laga ordning ska protokollet föras.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely high in daily conversation.

Common Mistakes

Jag lagar en tårta. → Jag bakar en tårta.
Use 'baka' for cakes and bread.
Jag ska laga problemet. → Jag ska lösa problemet.
'Laga' is for physical objects, not abstract problems.
Jag lagar (to mean cooking). → Jag lagar mat.
In Swedish, you usually need the object 'mat'.
Laga håret. → Fixa håret.
You don't 'repair' hair, you 'arrange' it.
Jag lagade klockan 5 (meaning time). → Klockan var 5.
Don't use 'laga' for time; this sounds like you fixed the clock at 5.

Tips

Easy Conjugation

Laga follows the 'aaaa' pattern: lagA, lagAr, lagAde, lagAt. It's the easiest verb group to remember!

Kitchen Rule

Always pair 'laga' with 'mat' unless you are naming a specific dish like 'laga soppa'.

Repair Culture

Swedes love to 'laga'. Mentioning you like to repair things is a great conversation starter.

Hard G

Keep the 'G' hard. If it sounds like 'Y', people might not understand you.

Fixing Problems

Don't use 'laga' for 'fixing a problem' (use 'lösa') or 'fixing a time' (use 'bestämma').

At the Dentist

If you hear 'laga', don't panic! It just means you're getting a filling.

Improvising

Use 'laga efter läge' when things don't go as planned. It makes you sound very native.

Compound Nouns

You can combine 'laga' (as lagning) with many nouns, like 'cykellagning'.

Context is King

Listen for the object! It's the only way to know if someone is hungry or handy.

Eco-friendly

The word 'laga' is often used in environmental contexts in Sweden. It's a very 'green' verb.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Laga' as 'Lay-it-right'. You are laying the ingredients right (cooking) or laying the broken parts right (repairing).

Visual Association

Imagine a chef with a wrench in one hand and a spatula in the other. He is a 'Laga' master.

Word Web

mat bil tand tröja hål verktyg kök reparera

Challenge

Try to find three things in your house that need 'lagning' and say 'Jag ska laga...' for each.

Word Origin

From Old Swedish 'lagha', derived from 'lag' (law/order).

Original meaning: To put in order, to make right, or to follow the law.

Germanic (North Germanic branch).

Cultural Context

No specific sensitivities, but 'laga en tand' is the only way to say dental filling.

English speakers often use 'fix' for everything. Swedish is more specific; 'laga' is physical, 'lösa' is for problems.

Sveriges Mästerkock (TV show) Laga mat med Edward Blom Reparationsrevolutionen (Movement)

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

In the kitchen

laga mat
laga middag
laga recept
laga tillsammans

At the dentist

laga en tand
laga ett hål
tandlagning
gör det ont att laga?

Workshop/Garage

laga bilen
laga motorn
laga en punka
laga verktyg

Clothing/Fashion

laga en reva
laga en knapp
laga jeans
laga med nål och tråd

Sustainability/Green living

laga istället för att köpa
laga och återanvända
lär dig laga
laga gamla saker

Conversation Starters

"Vad brukar du laga för mat när du är trött?"

"Kan du laga din egen cykel om den går sönder?"

"Vem lagar mest mat hemma hos dig?"

"Har du någonsin lagat något som var riktigt svårt?"

"Tycker du det är viktigt att laga gamla kläder?"

Journal Prompts

Beskriv din favoritmat att laga och varför du gillar den.

Skriv om en gång när du lagade något som var trasigt. Hur kändes det?

Varför är det bättre att laga saker än att slänga dem, tycker du?

Om du fick lära dig att laga vad som helst, vad skulle det vara?

Beskriv en perfekt kväll där du lagar mat med dina vänner.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, you should use 'baka' for cakes, bread, and cookies. 'Laga' is for meals like dinner or lunch.

It is neutral. It is used in both everyday conversation and professional contexts like dentistry or car repair.

It is a Group 1 verb: laga (infinitive), lagar (present), lagade (past), lagat (supine).

If it's a physical hardware repair, yes. If it's a software bug, you'd usually use 'fixa' or 'lösa'.

It literally means 'to prepare food' or 'to make food right'.

Because a cavity is seen as a physical break in the tooth that needs to be 'repaired' with a filling.

It's better to add 'mat'. Just saying 'Jag lagar' sounds like you are in the middle of a repair job.

'Laga' is everyday and covers food; 'reparera' is formal and only for repairs.

Yes, it is the standard noun for 'cooking'.

In legal contexts, it can mean 'due' or 'lawful', but this is mostly in fixed phrases.