Händelsen

Händelsen is the definite form of the Swedish noun händelse, which means an event, occurrence, or incident. The term is used to refer to a specific happening, whether in everyday conversation, journalism, or historical writing. As a general noun, händelse covers a wide range of phenomena—from ordinary activities to major historical events.

Grammar and usage: Händelse is a common gender noun. The indefinite singular is händelse, the definite singular is händelsen, the plural is händelser, and the definite plural is händelserna. In sentences, händelsen is typically the subject or object. It is often used with definite markers when the event is known from context, for example: "Händelsen inträffade i natt." "Polisen utreder händelsen." "Denna händelse förändrade mycket."

Etymology: The word händelse derives from the verb hända, meaning to happen, with the nominal suffix -else forming a noun for a happening or result. It is related to older North Germanic forms, including Old Norse, and reflects the notion of something that occurs or comes to pass.

Usage in context: Händelsen appears across different registers—from diary entries and memoirs to news reporting and historical analysis. It can describe daily occurrences as well as significant incidents, disasters, or milestones. Related compounds include händelseförlopp (the course of events), händelserik (eventful), and händelsekedja (sequence of events).

See also: händelseförlopp, händelserik, händelsekedja; English: event.