befatta

Swedish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Swedish befata, from Middle Low German bevaten. By surface analysis, be- + fatta. Cognate of Danish befatte, German befassen, Dutch bevatten.

Verb

befatta (present befattar, preterite befattade, supine befattat, imperative befatta)

  1. (reflexive) to involve oneself (in), to get involved (with), to concern oneself (with), to deal (with) (usually of something or someone one doesn't want to or shouldn't deal with)
    Jag befattar mig inte med politik
    I don't involve myself in politics
    Vi bör inte befatta oss med kriminella organisationer
    We shouldn't get involved with (deal with, have dealings with) criminal organizations
    De bör inte befatta sig med hur vi sköter det
    They shouldn't concern themselves with how we handle it
    Jag vill inte befatta mig med honom alls
    I don't want to have anything to do with him
    befatta sig med kriminella
    associate with criminals

Usage notes

To have something to do with, in the opposite sense of to not want to have anything to do with. To associate with or deal with.

Conjugation

Derived terms

References

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