avskaffa
abolish
Ta bort något helt så att det inte längre finns eller gäller.
Definition & meaning
The Swedish verb avskaffa means to abolish, eliminate, or discontinue something. It is most commonly used in official, political, or legal contexts when referring to the termination of a law, a system, a tax, or a long-standing tradition. When you avskaffa something, you ensure it is no longer in effect or no longer exists within a formal structure.
Examples of its use include:
- To abolish slavery (avskaffa slaveriet).
- To repeal a law (avskaffa en lag).
- To discontinue a specific tax (avskaffa en skatt).
Grammar & Word origin
avskaffa is a regular verb belonging to the first conjugation group (ar-verbs).
- Present tense: avskaffar
- Past tense: avskaffade
- Supine: avskaffat
The word is a loanword from Middle Low German afschaffen, which is also the source of the modern German word abschaffen. The prefix av- means "away" or "off," and skaffa in this context is related to the act of arranging or creating. Therefore, the word literally describes the act of "arranging something away."
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- slopa (to scrap or phase out)
- upphäva (to repeal, annul, or invalidate)
- ta bort (to remove)
- terminera (to terminate)
Antonyms:
Make “avskaffa” part of your vocabulary.
Build your Swedish vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
De vill avskaffa regeln.verb
They want to abolish the rule.
Varför avskaffades den gamla skatten förra året?verb
Why was the old tax abolished last year?
Keep exploring Swedish
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad