Händelse

Händelse is a Swedish noun meaning an occurrence or event—something that happens. It covers both ordinary happenings and notable incidents, and is common in everyday language as well as in journalism and literature. The term is neutral in tone and does not itself imply value or significance.

Etymology: The word is formed from the verb hända, meaning to happen, plus the suffix -else, which creates nouns denoting a process or result. The verb hända has Germanic roots and cognates in related Nordic languages, reflecting a historical pattern of turning actions into nominal concepts.

Usage: In ordinary Swedish, you would say “en händelse” or “den senaste händelsen.” In reporting, phrases such as “olyckshändelse” (an accident) or “viktig händelse” (a significant event) are common. In computing, händelse is the standard translation of the English term “event” in event-driven programming, with related terms like “händelsehantering” (event handling) and “händelskällor” (event sources).

Related terms: Begivenhet is another noun for an event, often more formal or literary, whereas företeelse can refer to a phenomenon or occurrence in a broader sense. Tilldragelse can denote an incident, sometimes with a sense of occurrence or accident.

Summary: As a general term for occurrences, händelse is widely used across contexts to denote something that happens at a given time or as part of a sequence, from everyday life to technical and formal writing.