pröva

From Old Swedish prøva, from Middle Low German prôven, from Late Latin probō (“test, try, examine, approve, show to be good or fit, prove”, verb), from probus (“good, worthy, excellent”), from Proto-Indo-European *pro-bhwo- (“being in front, prominent”), from Proto-Indo-European *pro-, *per- (“toward”) + Proto-Indo-European *bhu- (“to be”). Doublet of prova.

• IPA^(key): /prøːva/
• Hyphenation: prö‧va

pröva (present prövar, preterite prövade, supine prövat, imperative pröva)

1. to test, to try (subject to a test)

   Synonym: (except sometimes less idiomatic) testa

   ett experiment för att pröva en teori

   an experiment to test a theory

   Pröva dina krafter med vår kraftmätare

   Try your strength with our high striker

   Pröva dina kunskaper med vårt quiz

   Test your knowledge with our quiz

   pröva lyckan som ståuppkomiker

   try one's luck as a stand-up comedian ["testa lyckan" sounds off, like in English]

   1. to challenge, to strain

      pröva någons tålamod

      test someone's patience

      en hårt prövad man

      a man under a lot of strain [a severely tested man]

      I nöden prövas vännen

      A friend in need is a friend indeed [In the need (distress) the friend is tested]

3. to try (something, as a test)

   Near-synonym: prova

   Har du prövat att starta om datorn?

   Have you tried rebooting your computer?

4. (law) to examine, to review (legally investigate)

   pröva en ansökning

   examine an application

   Riksåklagaren vill att HD [Högsta domstolen] prövar målet

   The Prosecutor General wants the Supreme Court to hear the case [wants that the Supreme Court tries the case]

5. (often with in) to audition (for a place, degree, or the like)

   pröva in på musikhögskolan

   audition for the music academy

The difference from prova in (sense 2) is subtle even for native speakers. Prova and pröva might sometimes be used more or less interchangeably in that sense. See the references below for some other takes.

• prövning

• pröva in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• pröva in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• pröva in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• Reuters ruta
• omsvenska.se