Fika
Fika is a coffee-and-cake break taken as a deliberate social pause — and, as a verb, the act of taking one.
Full definition of Fika →:: COMPARE ::
FikavsCoffee break
The short answer
An English coffee break is time subtracted from work; fika is time built into it, at a fixed hour, with everyone leaving their desk together. English names a pause. Fika names a scheduled social event that happens to contain coffee — which is why the verb exists in Swedish and not in English.
Side by side
| Aspect | Fika | Coffee break |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled | Often, formally | No |
| Collective | Yes | Optional |
| Is a verb | Yes | No |
| Relation to work | Built in | Subtracted |
What each one means
Coffee break
The contrast above sets out how Coffee break differs from Fika on the points that actually matter.