Hänvisa

Hänvisa is a Swedish verb meaning to refer someone or something to another person, source, or authority, or to cite a source. It covers directing a person to an expert or official document, as well as indicating that a text or statement cites another source. The corresponding noun is hänvisning, meaning reference, referral, or citation. A person who initiates a referral can be described as a hänvisare in some contexts, though common usage usually uses the passive form or context to indicate the action.

Conjugation and forms: present tense is hänvisar, past tense is hänvisade, and supine is hänvisat. The passive form is hänvisas, as in patienten hänvisas till en specialist (the patient is referred to a specialist).

Common contexts and usage: in medical settings a doctor may hänvisa a patient to a specialist; in legal or administrative contexts a ruling may hänvisa to earlier decisions; in academic writing a text may hänvisa till flera källor (refer to several sources). The construction is typically followed by till to indicate the destination or source (hänvisa till en källa, hänvisa till policyn).

Relation to other terms: hänvisa is often used where directing or sending someone to another entity is involved, while referera can be used for broader citation purposes in writing. The term is standard in formal and semi-formal Swedish and appears in official documents, medical notes, and scholarly writing.

See also: hänvisning, referens, citation, referral.