måtta

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• måtte

Etymology

From Old Norse mátta, past tense of mega.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²mɔtːɑ/

Verb

måtta (present tense må, past tense måtte, past participle mått or måtta)

1. must, have to

   Eg måtte vaska bilen.

   I had to wash the car.

Synonyms

• lyta, lyte

References

• “måtta” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Etymology 1

From Old Swedish mata f, mate m, from Middle Low German māte, from Old Saxon metan, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *metaną.

Noun

måtta c

1. restraint, moderation

   dricka med måtta

   drink in moderation

   nå(go)n måtta får det vara

   there has to be some moderation (idiomatic, when something is felt to be (very) excessive)

Declension

Etymology 2

From Old Swedish mata, from Middle Low German māten, from Old Saxon metan, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *metaną.

Verb

måtta (present måttar, preterite måttade, supine måttat, imperative måtta)

1. to direct, to aim (often of a punch or other aggressive act)

   måtta ett slag mot någon

   throw a punch at someone ("direct a punch against someone")

2. to estimate

Conjugation

References

• måtta in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• måtta in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• måtta in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• Pokorny, Julius (1959) chapter 2000, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 3, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 2000