Eventuelt

Eventuelt is a Danish word used as an adverb meaning possibly, perhaps, or as a contingency indicator. It signals that something could occur or be true, depending on future circumstances. In everyday language it can often be replaced by måske, but eventuelt carries a nuance of a concrete possibility or a plan that depends on what happens.

As an adjective, eventuel exists in the form eventuel(e) and describes something that is possible or contingent. The plural form without a noun, eventuelle, is used before plural nouns, especially in legal or formal writing, as in eventuelle konsekvenser (possible consequences). The word often appears in clauses that discuss alternatives or conditional outcomes, such as “det kan eventuelt ændres” (it can be changed if necessary).

Etymology and related forms: Eventuelt derives from the same root as the French word eventuel and the English eventual, both ultimately tracing back to Latin eventus, meaning outcome or occurrence. The Danish usage mirrors the sense of something that could occur or be true at a later point or under certain conditions. Related Danish terms include eventualitet (eventuality) and eventuelhed (contingency).

Usage notes: Eventuelt is common in formal and semi-formal Danish, including business, law, and planning contexts. It often appears where flexibility or conditionality is being stated. In translation, it can correspond to “possibly,” “perhaps,” “if needed,” or “as a contingency,” depending on the sentence.

See also: eventual, eventualitet, eventuelhed, muligt, måske.