syssla

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Swedish

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Etymology

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From Old Swedish sȳsla, from Old Norse sýsla, from Proto-Germanic *seuhslō.

Noun

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syssla c

  1. something (productive) one (often regularly) does; an occupation (in the more general, not-necessarily-job sense), a chore, a task, etc.
    Jag har en ny syssla
    I have a new thing I'm doing
    ge någon en syssla
    give someone something to do [that lasts a while] / a chore / etc.
    • 1529, Martin Luther, The Small Catechism, Table of Duties: For All in Common.
      När var och en sin syssla sköter, då går det väl, vad än oss möter.
      Let each his lesson learn with care, And all the household well shall fare.
  2. (dated) a profession, an employment

Declension

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Declension of syssla
nominative genitive
singular indefinite syssla sysslas
definite sysslan sysslans
plural indefinite sysslor sysslors
definite sysslorna sysslornas
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See also

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Verb

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syssla (present sysslar, preterite sysslade, supine sysslat, imperative syssla)

  1. to be engaged (with something, as an activity – "do" something), to occupy oneself (with something, in the broad sense, like above)
    1. to do (something)
      Vad sysslar du med?
      What are you doing? / What do you do? / What's your work? / How do you spend your time?
      (literally, “What are you engaged with [as an activity]? [in meaning, though a poor match for tone]”)
      Gå och kolla vad Nisse sysslar med
      Go and check what Nisse is up to [Likely means currently as opposed to in general here – can also be expressed with "hålla på med" or "ha för sig"]
      Vad sysslar du med nu för tiden?
      What are you up to these days?
    2. to be involved (when sounding better than engaged as a translation)
      Hon sysslar med politik
      She is involved / engaged in politics ["does" politics / has politics as a thing she does]
      Vi sysslar med potatis
      We are in the potato business
      (literally, “We are involved / engaged with potatoes ["do" potatoes]”)

Usage notes

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Closer to do than engaged or involved in tone. Everyday word.

Conjugation

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Conjugation of syssla (weak)
Active Passive
Infinitive syssla —
Supine sysslat —
Imperative syssla —
Imper. plural1 sysslen —
Present Past Present Past
Indicative sysslar sysslade — —
Ind. plural1 syssla sysslade — —
Subjunctive2 syssle sysslade — —
Participles
Present participle sysslande
Past participle —
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

See also

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References

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