# Swedish: pluggar/studerar/läser



## AnnieTC

what is the difference? does they mean
pluggar - go to school
studerar - study
läser - learn
tack!


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## Tjahzi

I'd say they are used more or less interchangeably, the difference is merely a matter of style. Do note that there exists a number of.phrasal verbs formed from the above ones and that their meanings vary slighty.


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## moza_moza

Isn't "pluggar" less formal than the others?


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## BlueSuede

Yes it is. "Pluggar" is less formal. "Studerar" is more formal. "Läser means a lot more than just study. They are not synonymous, nor interchangeable.


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## Tjahzi

The general definition of a synonym states that two or more words with identical or similar meanings are regarded to be synonymous. This definition excludes level of formality as this would preclude the very existence of synonyms.

As such, _läsa, studera _and _plugga_ are synonyms.


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## Dan2

Tjahzi said:


> As such, _läsa, studera _and _plugga_ are synonyms.


Let's step back from a debate between Swedish natives and consider the needs of us Swedish learners. 
Wouldn't it be better to say that there is *a* meaning for which these words are synonyms?  For example, in the dialog,
- What do you like to do when you have free time?
- I enjoy reading a book.
I would think _läsa_ would be fine but not the others.  Is that correct?

Another possible source of confusion for learners:


AnnieTC said:


> what is the difference? _do _they mean
> pluggar - go to school
> ...
> läser - learn


No one objected to this.  But...
You wouldn't translate "When I go to school every day I walk past a supermarket" as "När jag pluggar ...", would you?
You wouldn't use "läsa" in a translation of "Where did you learn to swim?", would you?

On the other hand, in
- Har du ett jobb?
- Nej, jag ____
am I correct that "pluggar" would be an acceptable way to say "I go to school" (= "am a student") in colloquial speech?  But how about "läser"?


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## AnnieTC

Dan2 said:


> On the other hand, in
> - Har du ett jobb?
> - Nej, jag ____
> am I correct that "pluggar" would be an acceptable way to say "I go to school" (= "am a student") in colloquial speech?  But how about "läser"?



Somehow I feel pluggar would be ok here, but l feel I have to add something after läser, like vad läser du? Jag läser svensk. Just a feeling...


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## Ben Jamin

Tjahzi said:


> The general definition of a synonym states that two or more words with identical or similar meanings are regarded to be synonymous. This definition excludes level of formality as this would preclude the very existence of synonyms.
> 
> As such, _läsa, studera _and _plugga_ are synonyms.



All three of these verbs have many meanings. Only one of them (learn) makes them synonyms. The example given by Dan2 shows that you can not substitute them in just any sentence.


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## AutumnOwl

AnnieTC said:


> Somehow I feel pluggar would be ok here, but l feel I have to add something after läser, like vad läser du? Jag läser svenska. Just a feeling...


I would say it's ok with just "Nej, jag läser", even if it's better to specify what or where (på universitet, på komvux).


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## Tjahzi

Of course these verbs have multiple meanings, but in the question presented by the topic starter, they all (seemingly) refer to the practice of attending an institution of education, and in that sense, they are used synonymously, which is excellently illustrated by Dan's example, in which _Jag läser/studerar/pluggar_ all can be used to explain that one is a student.


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