skämma

See also: skamma

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse skemmd (“shame, disgrace”), from Old Swedish skæmma ("to dishonour") and the reflexive skæmmas ("to be ashamed"), same as Icelandic skemma, Danish skæmme, Middle Low German schemen, German schämen; related to Swedish skam (“shame”).

Verb

skämma (present skämmer, preterite skämde, supine skämt, imperative skäm)

1. to spoil, to ruin, to dishonour

   Arbete skämmer ingen

   Work makes a shame of nobody

   För mycket eller för lite skämmer allt

   Too much or too little ruins everything

skämma bort

1. to spoil (people)

   skämma bort barnen

   to spoil the kids

skämma ut

1. to embarrass

   skämma ut sig

   embarrass oneself

   Vattenfall skämmer ut Sverige

   Vattenfall is an embarrassment to Sweden

Conjugation

Conjugation of skämma (weak)

	Active		Passive
Infinitive	skämma		skämmas
Supine	skämt		skämts
Imperative	skäm		—
Imper. plural1	skämmen		—
	Present	Past	Present	Past
Indicative	skämmer	skämde	skäms, skämmes	skämdes
Ind. plural1	skämma	skämde	skämmas	skämdes
Subjunctive2	skämme	skämde	skämmes	skämdes
	Participles
Present participle	skämmande
Past participle	skämd
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Conjugation of skämma (weak)

	Active		Passive
Infinitive	skämma ut		skämmas ut
Supine	skämt ut		skämts ut
Imperative	skäm ut		—
Imper. plural1	skämmen ut		—
	Present	Past	Present	Past
Indicative	skämmer ut	skämde ut	skäms ut, skämmes ut	skämdes ut
Ind. plural1	skämma ut	skämde ut	skämmas ut	skämdes ut
Subjunctive2	skämme ut	skämde ut	skämmes ut	skämdes ut
	Participles
Present participle	utskämmande
Past participle	utskämd
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Related terms

• skämskudde
• skämmas

References

• skämma, -s in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)

Further reading

• skämma in Svensk ordbok.