Förmodade

Förmodade is a Swedish word that functions both as the simple past tense of the verb förmoda and as an attributive adjective meaning “alleged” or “presumed.” As a verb, förmoda means to suppose, presume, or guess something to be true, especially when information is incomplete or uncertain. The form förmodade is the preterite for all persons: jag förmodade, du förmodade, han/hon förmodade, vi förmodade, ni förmodade, de förmodade. Example: Jag förmodade att tåget var försenat.

As an adjective, the related form förmodad (singular) and its plural form förmodade are used before nouns to indicate something is believed or asserted but not proven. In practice, den förmodade gärningsmannen and de förmodade misstänkta are common constructions in journalism, law, and formal writing. The word signals a status of assumption rather than established fact, similar to “alleged” in English. The term is more frequent in written and formal Swedish, though it also appears in spoken language when people report supposition or allegations.

Usage notes and nuance: förmoda refers to an act of reasoning about what seems likely, while förmodad as an adjective emphasizes the recognizably hypothetical or unproven character of a claim or person. It is distinct from the adverb förmodligen, which means “probably” and modifies statements rather than describing people or events.

Related terms include antaga (to suppose or assume), anta (to assume), and misstänkt (suspected or alleged when used as an adjective). Together, förmoda and förmodad convey a spectrum from tentative reasoning to formally labeled allegations.