Lagom (pronounced [ˈlɑ̂ːɡɔm], LAW-gom) is a Swedish word meaning 'just the right amount' or 'not too much, not too little'.
The word can be variously translated as 'in moderation', 'in balance', 'perfect-simple', 'just enough', 'ideal' and 'suitable' (in matter of amounts). Whereas words like sufficient and average suggest some degree of abstinence, scarcity, or failure, lagom carries the connotation of appropriateness, although not necessarily perfection. The archetypical Swedish proverb "Lagom är bäst", literally 'The right amount is best', is also translated as 'Enough is as good as a feast',[1] or as 'There is virtue in moderation'.[2]
- ^ Orange, Richard (6 February 2017). "Calm down trendspotters – 'lagom' is not the new hygge". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
- ^ Prisma's Stora Engelska Ordbok, 1995.