Beskriva

Beskriva is a Swedish verb meaning to describe, to portray, or to give an account of something. It is used to convey details, features, or the nature of a person, place, situation, text, or event, in speech or writing. The verb covers both descriptive writing and spoken description.

Grammatical notes: infinitive is beskriva; present tense beskriver; past tense beskrev; supine beskrivit; past participle beskriven. The passive form is beskrivs. The imperative is beskriv! In clauses, the infinitive is introduced by att, as in att beskriva.

Usage considerations: beskriva is common in both everyday language and formal writing. It can be used to describe physical appearance, characteristics, actions, or processes. Examples might include describing a landscape, describing a character in a novel, or describing how a system works. The choice of words in description often depends on the nuance desired, such as neutral, vivid, or critical.

Etymology and cognates: beskriva is of Swedish origin and is cognate with the Norwegian Bokmål beskrive and Danish beskrive. It is related to the German beschreiben, reflecting a common Germanic pattern of forming verbs meaning “to describe” from a base meaning related to writing or outlining.

See also: redogöra för (to report or account for), illustrera (to illustrate), förklara (to explain). While all involve conveying information, redogöra för emphasizes accounts and explanations, whereas beskriva focuses on depiction and detail.