Gjenkjenne

Gjenkjenne is a Norwegian verb meaning to recognize or identify someone or something, typically by recalling distinctive features or characteristics. It is used for identifying a person by their face, voice, or other cues, as well as for recognizing patterns, objects, or familiar situations. The term can also appear in broader contexts such as recognizing a claim, a standard, or a past event.

In Bokmål and Nynorsk, gjenkjenne is conjugated as follows: infinitive gjenkjenne; present tense jeg gjenkjenner (du gjenkjenner; han/hun gjenkjenner); past tense jeg gjenkjente; supine gjenkjent; past participle gjenkjent. The imperative form is gjenkjenn, though in common speech the present tense often suffices in direct commands. The verb forms participate in typical Norwegian verb patterns with the gjen- prefix meaning “again” or “re-,” paired with kjenne “to know” or “to feel.”

Common usage includes recognizing a person’s face or voice, identifying a familiar object, or detecting a recurring pattern in data or behavior. Related terms include gjenkjenning, the noun for recognition, and compound terms such as ansiktsgjenkjenning (face recognition) or mønster­gjenkjenning (pattern recognition). A related but distinct concept in Norwegian is kjenne igjen, which is often used in contexts emphasizing recognition after a period of absence or recollection of someone or something previously known.

Overall, gjenkjenne is a core verb for identification and recognition in everyday language, science, and technology, with stable usage across Norwegian dialects.