# Swedish: idrotta



## AnnieTC

My dictionary explains as: 



*go in for (practise) sports*




But what kinda sports? indoor only? gym only?


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## AutumnOwl

There are two Swedish words for sports, one is _idrott_, the other is_ sport_. They are not exactly synonyms, there are areas where they cover the same sports, but there are also differences. _Idrott_ is defined as "physical activity done to promote physical and psychological health and well-being", while when it comes to _sport_ there is an element of competition when practicing a sport, and doesn't necessary need to be a physical activity, for example chess and computer games are _sport_, but not _idrott_.

_Idrott _can be either indoor and outdoor activities, and either team or individual activites, activites such as aerobics, jogging and nordic walking are_ idrott, _so is going to the gym, but that can also be a _sport_ if the person who is doing it competes in it. Football, ice-hockey, basket, boxing, swimming, athletics (track and field) can be both_ idrott_ and _sport_, as they can be done as a competitive sport but also for fun in a non-competitive manner. You can read more here and there is an image showing what is considered to be _idrott_, _idrott/sport _and _sport_. http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idrott

_Att idrotta_ means practice a physical activity, not necessarily as a preparation for a competition, for example some people jog to stay fit, others do it because they want to prepare for a race, for example a marathon.


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## AnnieTC

This is very detailed, tack så mycket! seems like idrotta is working out, exercise, doing sports, and sport is like competition game or match.


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## AutumnOwl

AnnieTC said:


> This is very detailed, tack så mycket! seems like idrotta is working out, exercise, doing sports, and sport is like competition game or match.


No, _idrott_ can be be working out or exercise, but it can also be used for competetive sports. The Swedish word for athletics (track and field) is _friidrott_ (free sports) and an athlete (regardless of what sports he/she participates in) is a_ idrottman/idrottskvinna_/_idrottare_, whether they do it for fun or compete in the Olympic Games.


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## JohanIII

As Autumnowl points out, just be clear about the overlap (I guess you are), as Wilma says "but that can also be a sport" (my underline).

All I can offer is a warning about a false friend: a Swedist "atlet" is not an _athlete_ per se, but someone well built, with muscles.
Well, I suppose we're on to the subject of overlapping again.


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## Lugubert

AutumnOwl said:


> No, _idrott_ can be be working out or exercise, but it can also be used for competetive sports. The Swedish word for athletics (track and field) is _friidrott_ (free sports) and an athlete (regardless of what sports he/she participates in) is a_ idrottman/idrottskvinna_/_idrottare_, whether they do it for fun or compete in the Olympic Games.


I partly disagree. To me, working out is neither _sport _nor _idrott_, but rather _träning _(exercise), which of course can be in preparation for some _idrott _or _sport._



JohanIII said:


> As Autumnowl points out, just be clear about the overlap (I guess you are), as Wilma says "but that can also be a sport" (my underline).


Personally, I tend to reserve _idrott_ for track-and-field events (_friidrott_) and use _sport_ for football (a _bollsport_) or quickbathing (_simsport_). I avoid _vinteridrotter_ like _skidsport.
_


> All I can offer is a warning about a false friend: a Swedist "atlet" is not an _athlete_ per se, but someone well built, with muscles.
> Well, I suppose we're on to the subject of overlapping again.


You reveal your age. I get the feeling that kids nowadays freely borrow the English word and happily speak of _an atlet_ competing in high jump. In a _kraftsport_ like weightlifting, you will find our kind of _atlet._

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is Internationella Friidrottsförbundet.

More than half a century ago, my report card had an entry for Phys Ed, _Gymnastik med lek och idrott_ (Gymnastics with games (playing?) and sports?)


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## AutumnOwl

Lugubert said:


> I partly disagree. To me, working out is neither _sport _nor _idrott_, but rather _träning _(exercise), which of course can be in preparation for some _idrott _or _sport._
> 
> Personally, I tend to reserve _idrott_ for track-and-field events (_friidrott_) and use _sport_ for football (a _bollsport_) or quickbathing (_simsport_). I avoid _vinteridrotter_ like _skidsport._


The definition of _idrott_ as "any physical activity done to promote health ..." isn't mine, it's Idrottshögskolan's definition, and if you follow that definition working out is an_ idrott_. (and the education of Phys Ed teachers and trainers are still done at "Gymnastik- och idrottshögskolan in Stockholm or Umeå centrum för idrottsvetenskap).

Whether to call an activity is an _idrott_ or if it's a _sport_ is a matter of taste, I use both vinteridrott and_ vintersport_,


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## petrichor-3

As I am still in school, I tend to think of "idrott" as the PE lessions at school, and training on your free-time as "sport" (but as Luguberg pointed out, things such as friidrott is always fri*idrott*)

"Idrotta" to me simply means "to work out" either in school or things like friidrott. If I was talking about soccer/football or something like that, i would say "sporta" and if it was about going to the gym, I would say "gymma".


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## Mr.TechComm

petrichor-3 said:


> (...) and if it was about going to the gym, I would say "gymma".



Gymma? Säger man inte "gympa"? Jag har hört meningen "jag gillar gympa" men inte ""jag gillar gymma"...
... eller kan man säga både och?


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## Tjahzi

Those are different things. _Gympa_ (noun) is the school subject PE while _att gymma_ is the verb for _working out in a gym_.


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## Mr.TechComm

Tjahzi said:


> Those are different things. _Gympa_ (noun) is the school subject PE while _att gymma_ is the verb for _working out in a gym_.



Oops! Then I have been saying it wrong all these years. I've always said "gympa" when I actually meant "gymma".  
Well, I'm too old to be in the school so I guess people understood anyway.


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## AutumnOwl

Tjahzi said:


> Those are different things. _Gympa_ (noun) is the school subject PE while _att gymma_ is the verb for _working out in a gym_.


You can also use gympa or jympa when going to Friskis & Svettis as an adult, they use gympa for their aerobic and other classes.


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## Mr.TechComm

AutumnOwl said:


> You can also use gympa or jympa when going to Friskis & Svettis as an adult, they use gympa for their aerobic and other classes.



Cool! Then I wasn't so wrong since I go to Body Pump, one of the classes in my gym


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## Tjahzi

True. But weightlifting and working out with various machines is exclusively referred to as _gymma_.


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