Koncentrerar

Koncentrerar is the present tense form of the Swedish verb koncentrera. The infinitive is koncentrera, and the related noun for the state of being concentrated is koncentration (often used in scientific contexts), while koncentrering refers to the act or process of concentrating. The term can also appear in the form koncentrerar sig, a reflexive construction meaning to focus or apply one’s attention.

Usage and meaning

Koncentrerar has several closely related senses. In everyday language it commonly means to direct mental effort toward a task or goal, as in hon koncentrerar sig inför provet (she concentrates herself for the exam). It can also describe the allocation of resources or attention within an organization or project, for example företaget koncentrerar sina resurser till kärnverksamheten (the company concentrates its resources on core activities). In scientific and technical contexts, koncentrera can mean to increase the concentration of a solution or to reduce volume to obtain a higher concentration, as in lösningen koncentrerades genom avdunstning (the solution was concentrated by evaporation).

Grammatical notes

Koncentrerar follows the pattern of -era verbs in Swedish. The form koncentrerar is used with a subject in the present tense, e.g., Jag koncentrerar mig, Han koncentrerar sina tankar. The verb is often used with reflexive pronouns (koncentrera sig) when referring to focusing one’s own attention. The imperative form is koncentrera (Koncentrera vätskan).

Etymology

The Swedish verb koncentrera is borrowed from Latin concentrāre, via French concentrer and other European languages, with subsequent integration into Swedish verb paradigms.

See also: koncentration, koncentrering, koncentrat.