Förtrogen

Förtrogen is a Swedish adjective used to describe a person’s familiarity or trust in relation to something or someone. It has two closely related senses, which can overlap in usage.

In the first sense, förtrogen means well acquainted with a subject, procedure, or field. It is typically used with the preposition med: for example, "förtrogen med hur maskinen fungerar" or "förtrogen med lagstiftningen." Here the emphasis is on thorough knowledge or experience, not merely casual familiarity.

In the second sense, förtrogen conveys that someone has been entrusted with confidential information or is in a confidential relationship. This sense implies a degree of trust and discretion: for example, "hon var förtrogen med hans hemligheter" or "en förtrogen vän." The word can thus denote a credential of trust as well as intimacy.

Etymology and related forms: förtrogen is derived from the noun förtroende, meaning trust, with the adjectival suffix -en, to indicate someone who is trusted or familiar. Related terms include förtroende (trust) and förtrolig, the latter meaning confidential or intimate in tone.

Usage notes: För­trogen is more formal or literary than everyday alternatives such as bekant med or vane vid. In contemporary usage, it often appears in professional, legal, or descriptive contexts to signal either deep familiarity or entrusted confidentiality.

See also: förtroende, förtrolig.