HVEM

Hvem is a word used in Danish and Norwegian as the standard interrogative pronoun meaning "who." It is used to ask about the identity of a person, for example in the question "Hvem er det?" which translates to "Who is it?" In Norwegian Bokmål, the form is generally "hvem," while in Norwegian Nynorsk the traditional equivalent is "kven," though "hvem" appears in some texts and dialects.

In Danish, the form and usage are the same as in Norwegian, with "hvem" serving as the primary word for asking about a person. Across the broader Scandinavian region, there are cognate forms in related languages: Swedish uses "vem," and Icelandic uses "hver." These forms reflect the common North Germanic origins of the interrogative pronouns for people.

Etymology and classification: Hvem belongs to the North Germanic branch of the Germanic language family. Its forms across the Scandinavian languages show regular sound correspondences and a shared function as the pronoun used to inquire about identity. The precise historical development traces to Old Norse and related early Scandinavian varieties, with modernization producing the present standard spellings in each language. See also: who (English), vem (Swedish).