Gäng

Gäng is a Swedish noun meaning a group of people who share a common activity, interest, or social bond. It is commonly used to refer to casual social circles, work colleagues, or any cluster of people who associate together. The term can be neutral or descriptive, and it can also describe a more cohesive circle, such as a group of close friends or associates. In some contexts it may refer to a criminal gang when paired with a qualifying noun, as in brottsgäng.

Etymology and cognates: gäng is cognate with Danish and Norwegian forms fortsatt spelledgjeng or gjeng, respectively, all deriving from common Germanic roots related to going or moving together. The English word gang shares a historical link but has diverged in modern usage. In Swedish, the form gänget serves as the definite singular: the gang, while ett gäng marks the indefinite, a gang or group.

Usage and nuance: The term is widely used in everyday speech and media. It often emphasizes social proximity or shared identity, as in kompisgänget (the group of friends) or arbetsgäng (a work group). The definite form gänget typically refers to a known or previously mentioned group, whereas ett gäng introduces a new or unspecified group. When used with adjectives that carry negative connotations, such as ett farligt gäng, the word can imply criminal or problematic activity.

See also: related terms include kompisgäng, vänkrets, and brottsgäng (criminal gang). In translation, gäng is usually rendered as “group” or “gang,” depending on context.