Foregikk

Foregikk is the past tense of the Norwegian verb foregå, meaning to occur or to take place. It is used to describe events or processes that happened in the past and is typically found in written and formal narration, as well as news reporting.

Conjugation and forms: the verb foregå is intransitive. Present tense is foregår, past tense is foregikk, and the past participle is foregått. The perfect tense is formed with har foregått (e.g., Det har foregått). These forms are standard in both Bokmål and Nynorsk written Norwegian.

Usage notes: foregå emphasizes that something unfolded or developed over time or within a period, rather than identifying a single moment. In everyday language, common alternatives include skje (to happen), hendene, or finne sted (to take place). Foregå is more formal and may appear in reports, chronologies, or descriptive passages that recount events.

Etymology: foregå derives from the verb foregå with the prefix for- attached to ganga (to go), reflecting a sense of proceeding or unfolding in time. The form foregikk represents the simple past of this verb.

Examples:

- Møtet foregår nå. (The meeting is taking place now.)

- Møtet foregikk i to timer. (The meeting lasted for two hours.)

- Hendelsen har foregått over flere uker. (The event has unfolded over several weeks.)

See also: foregå is related to phrases that express occurrence, such as finne sted or skje, which are often used as alternatives depending on nuance and style.