Forretninger

Forretninger is a term used in Danish and Norwegian that can refer to businesses or shops, depending on context. In everyday language, it commonly denotes a retail store as well as the broader concept of commercial activity or an enterprise. The plural form forretninger often refers to multiple shops or businesses, while the singular forretning denotes a particular business or shop, or, more generally, the act of conducting commerce.

The word has Germanic roots and is cognate with terms in other Scandinavian languages, such as Swedish affär, which similarly means shop or business. In Danish and Norwegian, forretninger is used across sectors—from small family-run shops to larger corporate enterprises.

Usage and examples: A person might say "å drive en forretning" to mean running a business, or "en rekke forretninger i sentrum" to refer to a row of shops in the city center. The term is common in economic, historical, and everyday contexts.

Economic and regulatory context: Forretninger are subject to national laws and regulations concerning business licensing, taxation, consumer protection, labor standards, and competition. In retail, the term often appears in discussions of local economies, entrepreneurship, and market structure.

See also: commerce, business, retailing.