umgås means "to socialise" — to spend time with people, hang out, keep company (reciprocal/deponent s-verb). It belongs to the -s class: it always ends in -s, it is fully active in meaning, and the -s is never stripped. Two things make umgås special. First, it is reciprocal/social — it is about being with people, so it pairs constantly with med ("with"): umgås med vänner = "hang out with friends." Second, it is irregular: it is built on the strong verb gå ("to go"), so its past is umgicks (echoing gick) and its supine is umgåtts (echoing gått). The related noun is umgänge ("company, social circle, the people you socialise with").
Principal parts
| Infinitive | Present | Preteritum (past) | Supine | Imperative | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| umgås | umgås | umgicks | umgåtts | (none in use) | reciprocal (s-verb), irregular |
Every form keeps the -s — that is the deponent trait. But because umgås is built on gå, you cannot regularise it: the past is umgicks (not *umgådes), mirroring gå → gick, and the supine — used after har/hade — is umgåtts (not *umgåddes), mirroring gå → gått. This is the single most error-prone thing about the verb, so memorise the pair: umgicks / umgåtts. There is no everyday imperative — you don't command "socialise!" with this verb — so that slot is empty. Like all Swedish verbs the form is the same for every subject: jag umgås, vi umgås, de umgås.
Vi umgås mest på helgerna.
We mostly socialise on weekends. umgås = present, identical to the infinitive.
Som tonåringar umgicks vi varje dag.
As teenagers we hung out every day. umgicks = the IRREGULAR past, built on gå (gick).
De har umgåtts i många år.
They've socialised / kept company for many years. har umgåtts = perfect, the irregular supine (built on gått).
Use 1: socialising with people — umgås med
The everyday job of umgås is to say you spend social time with someone. It almost always takes med + the people: umgås med vänner, umgås med kollegor, umgås med familjen.
Jag umgås gärna med mina grannar.
I happily socialise with my neighbours. umgås med = the standard 'spend time with' frame.
Hon umgås mycket med folk från jobbet.
She spends a lot of time with people from work. umgås med + a group.
Vi umgicks med en helt annan krets då.
We socialised in a completely different circle back then. umgicks med — irregular past + med.
Use 2: hanging out, spending time together
Without a named partner, umgås still means "spend social time together" — the subject is plural or joint, and the togetherness is built in. This is the reciprocal flavour: you cannot umgås alone.
Det var länge sedan vi umgicks.
It's been a long time since we hung out. umgicks — past, plural subject, no med needed.
Familjen umgås mycket, de är väldigt nära.
The family spends a lot of time together; they're very close. A group subject, the togetherness implied.
Vill du umgås ikväll?
Do you want to hang out tonight? The casual invitation — umgås as 'spend time together'.
Use 3: the social circle — and the noun umgänge
umgås describes who you socialise with, which is exactly what the noun umgänge captures: your company, the crowd you keep, your social circle. The two go hand in hand.
Han har ett stort umgänge.
He has a big social circle. umgänge = the noun, 'company / circle of people'.
Vi har umgåtts i samma gäng sedan skolan.
We've socialised in the same gang since school. har umgåtts = perfect, the irregular supine.
umgås vs. träffas vs. hänga
These overlap in casual use, but lean different ways:
- umgås = socialise / keep company (the ongoing being-together, often with med): Vi umgås ofta.
- träffas = meet (up) — the act of getting together, especially first encounters or arranged meetings: Ska vi träffas?
- hänga (with med) = "hang out" (very informal, youth speech): Vi hänger ikväll.
Vi träffades på en fest och började umgås.
We met at a party and started socialising. träffades = the meeting; umgås = the ongoing socialising that followed.
Common Mistakes
❌ Vi umgar ofta med våra grannar.
Incorrect — umgås is a deponent; the -s never drops. There is no *umgar.
✅ Vi umgås ofta med våra grannar.
We often socialise with our neighbours.
❌ Förr umgådes vi varje dag.
Incorrect — umgås is irregular (built on gå); the past is umgicks, not a regular *umgådes.
✅ Förr umgicks vi varje dag.
We used to hang out every day.
❌ Vi har umgått länge.
Incorrect — the supine is umgåtts (irregular, from gått) and keeps the -s; not *umgått.
✅ Vi har umgåtts länge.
We've socialised for a long time.
❌ Jag umgås min bror varje vecka.
Off — umgås needs med before the person: umgås med min bror.
✅ Jag umgås med min bror varje vecka.
I spend time with my brother every week.
❌ Jag umgås ensam på lördagar.
Off — you can't socialise alone; umgås is reciprocal. Use a plural/joint subject or umgås med någon.
✅ Vi umgås på lördagar.
We socialise on Saturdays.
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