bjuda means "to invite" and, just as importantly, "to treat" or "to offer" — when a Swede says Jag bjuder, they mean "it's on me." It is a strong verb of the ju–ö–u type, with principal parts bjuda – bjöd – bjudit. The past bjöd rounds the vowel to ö, the supine bjudit keeps the u of the infinitive, and the bj- is pronounced as a "by-" glide, not "b + j." The English glosses split across two ideas — invite and treat someone — and which one applies depends almost entirely on the particle that follows.
Principal parts
| Infinitive | Present | Preteritum (past) | Supine | Imperative | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bjuda | bjuder | bjöd | bjudit | bjud | Group 4 (strong), ju–ö–u |
Track the vowel: the infinitive and present carry ju (bjuda, bjuder), the past rounds to ö (bjöd), and the supine returns to u (bjudit). The agreeing past participle is bjuden / bjudet / bjudna ("invited"). The signature trap is keeping the ö out of the supine: it is bjudit, not bjödit.
Jag bjuder hela gänget på middag i kväll.
I'm treating the whole gang to dinner tonight. bjuder — present, 'my treat.'
De bjöd oss på kaffe och kanelbullar.
They treated us to coffee and cinnamon buns. bjöd — past, vowel ö.
Har du bjudit in grannarna till festen?
Have you invited the neighbours to the party? har bjudit — perfect, supine vowel u.
Use 1: present, past and perfect
The three tenses follow the principal parts directly. Present bjuder covers "invite/treat" and "am inviting." The past bjöd is the bare vowel-changed stem — note the ö. The perfect is har bjudit; the pluperfect is hade bjudit.
Företaget bjuder på lunch när vi jobbar övertid.
The company provides lunch when we work overtime. Present bjuder.
Mormor bjöd alltid på saft och bullar efter skolan.
Grandma always offered us juice and buns after school. bjöd — simple past with ö.
Vi hade redan bjudit dem innan vi visste hur många som kom.
We had already invited them before we knew how many were coming. hade bjudit — pluperfect, supine bjudit.
Use 2: Jag bjuder — "it's my treat"
Used on its own with no object, Jag bjuder is the standard way to say "this one's on me" when picking up a bill. It is what you say at the café counter or when a friend reaches for their wallet. English has no one-word equivalent; "I'll get this" or "it's my treat" both translate to plain Jag bjuder.
Lägg undan plånboken — jag bjuder!
Put your wallet away — it's my treat! Jag bjuder, standing alone.
Du bjöd förra gången, så nu är det min tur.
You paid last time, so now it's my turn. bjöd — past of the 'treat' sense.
Use 3: bjuda på — treat or offer someone to something
The particle på gives bjuda på, "to treat/offer someone to." The thing offered follows på: bjuda på kaffe, bjuda på en öl. You can also bjuda någon på something — name the guest first, then på + the offering.
Får jag bjuda på något att dricka?
May I offer you something to drink? bjuda på — offer/treat to.
Värden bjöd på både förrätt och efterrätt.
The host treated us to both a starter and a dessert. bjöd på — past.
Grannen har bjudit oss på grillkväll flera somrar i rad.
The neighbour has treated us to a barbecue evening several summers running. har bjudit på — supine bjudit.
Use 4: bjuda in and bjuda upp
Two more particles complete the family. Bjuda in is "to invite (in)" — to send an invitation. Bjuda upp is the specific "to ask someone to dance," a fixed phrase you'll meet at any traditional dance or wedding.
Vi bjöd in över femtio gäster till bröllopet.
We invited over fifty guests to the wedding. bjöd in — past of 'invite.'
Han tog mod till sig och bjöd upp henne till en vals.
He plucked up courage and asked her to dance a waltz. bjöd upp — 'ask to dance.'
Är alla bjudna, eller har vi glömt någon?
Is everyone invited, or have we forgotten someone? bjudna — past participle, plural agreement.
Common Mistakes
❌ Vi bjudade dem på middag.
Incorrect — bjuda is strong and takes no -ade ending. The past is the vowel-changed bjöd.
✅ Vi bjöd dem på middag.
We treated them to dinner.
❌ Har du bjödit grannarna? (ö in the supine)
Incorrect — the supine is bjudit with u, not the past's ö. Keep ö only in bjöd.
✅ Har du bjudit grannarna?
Have you invited the neighbours?
❌ Jag gillar att bjuda. (meaning 'I like to pay')
Incorrect for 'it's my treat' — that sense is the standalone Jag bjuder, not a bare infinitive after gillar.
✅ Jag bjuder gärna.
I'm happy to treat (you).
❌ Hon har bjöd oss på fika.
Incorrect — after har you need the supine bjudit, not the past bjöd.
✅ Hon har bjudit oss på fika.
She has treated us to coffee and a bite.
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