Avser

Avser is a Swedish verb meaning to concern or to refer to something. It is primarily used in formal written Swedish to indicate the scope of a statement, the object of a reference, or what a text is addressing. The infinitive form is avse, and avser is the present tense form used with third-person singular subjects. For example: "Rapporten avser ekonomiska frågor" translates to "The report concerns economic issues." The common question form "Vad avses med ..." asks what is meant by a term or phrase.

Etymology and usage

The verb derives from the root avse, with avser serving as the present-tense form. In practice, avser appears in policy documents, academic writing, legal texts, and other contexts where precision about scope is important. It helps distinguish what is being discussed from other possible topics.

Grammatical notes

Avser is typically found in formal contexts and is less common in casual speech, where alternatives such as gälla (to apply or concern) or handlar om (is about) might be used instead. The construction often introduces a clause that specifies the subject matter or purpose of a statement. When the subject is plural, corresponding verb forms are used.

See also

avse, gälla, handlar om, refer to. In dictionaries, avser is described as the present-tense form of the verb avse, with usage notes emphasizing its role in indicating scope or reference in formal Swedish.