en hälsa

Definition & meaning

Hälsa has two main meanings:

• As a noun, health: a person’s physical or mental well-being.
• As a verb, to greet or to say hello. It can also mean to pass on someone’s greetings.

In the expression hälsa på [?](vocabuo://word/hälsa på), it means to visit someone.

Grammar & Word origin

• Noun: en hälsa [?](vocabuo://word/en hälsa). It is usually uncountable and rarely used in the plural.
• Verb: hälsar ↗, hälsade ↗, hälsat ↗.
• The noun and verb are related to an older Germanic word meaning “whole” or “healthy.” The greeting sense originally conveyed a wish for good health.

Synonyms & antonyms

• välmående ↗ — “well-being”; broader than health and often emphasizes feeling well.
• välbefinnande ↗ — “well-being”; focuses on one’s overall sense of wellness.
• ohälsa ↗ — “ill health”; the opposite of health.
• sjukdom ↗ — “illness”; a condition that can affect health, rather than an exact opposite.
• säga hej [?](vocabuo://word/säga hej) — “to say hello”; a more informal way to greet someone.

Common phrases & collocations

• god hälsa [?](vocabuo://word/god hälsa) — good health.
• psykisk hälsa [?](vocabuo://word/psykisk hälsa) — mental health.
• hälsa på någon [?](vocabuo://word/hälsa på någon) — to visit someone.
• hälsa någon från någon [?](vocabuo://word/hälsa någon från någon) — to pass on someone’s greetings.
• hälsa på varandra [?](vocabuo://word/hälsa på varandra) — to greet one another.