adjectiveadverbinterjection

just

När något är rättvist och behandlar alla lika.

Definition & meaning

The Swedish word just is a versatile word used primarily as an adverb, though it can also function as an adjective. It has several distinct meanings depending on the context:

Precision and Exactness: It is frequently used to mean "exactly" or "precisely." For example, the common phrase just det translates to "exactly" or "that is correct."
Time (Recentness): It indicates that an action has occurred very recently, similar to the English "just." For instance, jag har just ätit means "I have just eaten."
Emphasis: It is used to highlight a specific moment, object, or reason, often translated as "specifically" or "only." An example is just nu , meaning "right now" or "at this very moment."
Fairness and Decency: When used as an adjective, it describes someone or something as fair, honest, or decent. If you describe a person as just, you mean they are a "good sport" or act with integrity.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar: As an adverb, just is indeclinable and does not change form. As an adjective, it follows the standard Swedish declension:

just (common/neuter singular)
justa (plural and definite)

Note: In informal Swedish, the spelling schysst is often used as a synonym for the "fair/decent" meaning of just, and sometimes the spelling juste is seen, influenced by French.

Word origin: The word is borrowed from the French juste, which originates from the Latin justus (meaning upright, equitable, or lawful), derived from jus (law/right). While the English "just" shares the same root, the Swedish usage leans more heavily into the adverbial sense of "precisely" in everyday conversation.