Gemensamt

Gemensamt is a Swedish adverb meaning “together” or “in common,” used to describe actions performed jointly by two or more actors or states of shared responsibility or ownership. It is commonly placed with verbs to express joint action, as in vi arbetar gemensamt (we work together) or de fattade ett gemensamt beslut (they made a joint decision). The term also appears in phrases that emphasize shared obligations or property, such as gemensamt ansvar (shared responsibility) or ett gemensamt ägt företag (a jointly owned company).

Etymology and form: gemensamt derives from the adjective gemensam, meaning common or shared, with the suffix -t forming an adverbial or predicative usage. It functions without agreement for gender or number, and can modify verbs or past participles in expressions like gemensamt finansierat (jointly financed) or gemensamt ägt (jointly owned).

Usage and nuances: gemensamt stresses collaboration, joint effort, or shared ownership rather than mere proximity or presence. It is common in business, law, public administration, and policy discourse to articulate collective action or shared outcomes. It is closely related to but distinct from tillsammans (together), which emphasizes co-presence and joint activity rather than the aspect of shared responsibility.

Related terms: gemensam (adjective, meaning common or joint) and gemenskaps-, as in gemenskapsinriktad (community-oriented). In context, synonyms or near-synonyms include i samarbete (in cooperation) and gemensamt ansvar, though each carries slightly different nuance.