nounverb

en anda

spirit

Det sätt som en människa eller en grupp tänker och känner på, eller den osynliga delen av en person som sägs leva vidare efter döden.

The Swedish word "anda" has several meanings depending on the context:

  1. Spirit / Ghost
    Refers to a supernatural being, like a ghost or soul.
    Example: "Det sägs att huset är hemsökt av en ande."
    ("It is said that the house is haunted by a spirit.")

  2. Breath
    The air taken into or expelled from the lungs.
    Example: "Tag ett djupt andetag och andas ut långsamt."
    ("Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.")

  3. Spirit / Attitude / Ethos / Mood
    Can describe the character, atmosphere, or vibe of a place, group, or activity (similar to the English word "spirit" or "ethos").
    Example: "Lagets anda var stark efter vinsten."
    ("The team's spirit was strong after the victory.")


Synonyms & Nuances

  • Andetag — means "breath," more specifically a single breathe taken & oriented towards physical respiration.
  • Själ — means "soul," focusing more on the essence of a person rather than ghost or breath.
  • Lust / Energi / Moral — when referring to "team spirit" or "mood," sometimes these words provide nuance around enthusiasm or morale but are not direct synonyms.

Summary

MeaningEnglish equivalentContext exampleNotes
Spirit / ghostSpirit, ghostsupernatural or paranormalRefers to supernatural being
BreathBreathphysical respirationRelated to biology, breathing
Ethos / moodSpirit, mood, attitudegroup feeling, atmosphereFigurative sense: morale, enthusiasm

"anda" is a versatile word in Swedish that requires context to understand which meaning is intended.

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Examples

Laget visade god anda efter vinsten.noun

The team showed good spirit after the victory.

Laget hade en positiv anda under träningen.noun

The team had a positive spirit during the training.

En stark anda växte fram bland spelarna.noun

A strong spirit grew among the players.

Gruppen arbetade tillsammans i en positiv anda.noun

The group worked together in a positive spirit.

Vi kände en fin anda i gruppen när vi samarbetade.noun

We felt a good spirit in the group when we collaborated.

Gruppen arbetade tillsammans i god anda.noun

The group worked together in good spirit.

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