ägnade

Agnade is a Swedish verb form of the verb ägna, meaning to dedicate, devote, or allocate time, attention, or resources to a person, task, or purpose. The past tense ägnade describes a completed act, as in “hon ägnade sin tid åt studierna” (she devoted her time to studies).

Usage and grammar

ägna is transitive and often takes an object, for example: ägna något åt något (to dedicate something to something). In reflexive use, ägna sig åt, the subject devotes itself to an activity: “hon ägnade sig åt forskning.” The passive form, ägnades, is used in impersonal constructions: “Mycket uppmärksamhet ägnades åt frågan.”

Contexts and nuance

The word is commonly used for purposeful, sustained commitment—time, effort, or resources directed toward a goal, task, or cause. It can be found in professional, academic, or charitable contexts, and appears in formal or literary registers. In older or religious texts, ägna can also carry a sense of consecration or devout dedication beyond secular use.

Etymology and cognates

The verb is of Germanic origin and has cognates in adjacent Scandinavian languages, such as Norwegian eigna and Danish eigne, reflecting a shared sense of fitting, belonging, or dedicating. In Swedish, the form ägna has developed specialized meanings around devotion and allocation of attention or resources.

See also

Ägna occurs mainly as a verb form (ägnade, ägnade sig, ägnades) rather than as a standalone noun. Related concepts include dedication, devotion, and allocation of time or effort to a task or cause.