Kännbar

Kännbar is a Swedish adjective meaning that something can be felt, perceived, or detected by the senses or by observation, or that its effect is noticeable. It can describe physical sensations, such as kännbar smärta (perceptible pain) or kännbar temperatur, as well as figurative phenomena, like en kännbar skillnad (a noticeable difference) or kännbar effekt (perceptible effect).

Etymology and usage: kännbar is formed from känna, “to feel” or “to know,” with the suffix -bar, indicating the capacity to be. The word is common in formal and semi-formal Swedish, including journalism, science, economics, and everyday language. It is often used where perceptibility or immediacy of experience is emphasized.

Nuance and alternatives: kännbar highlights that something can be sensed or clearly experienced, rather than being merely theoretical. In some contexts, synonyms such as påtaglig (tangible) or märkbart (noticeable) may be preferred, depending on whether the emphasis is on sensory perception or general prominence. Related forms include kännbart and kännbarhet, the latter referring to perceptibility or the quality of being perceptible.

Examples: Det finns en kännbar skillnad mellan de två metoderna. Smärtan blev plötsligt kännbar. Temperaturen var kännbar i rummet.

See also: känsla, känna, påtaglig, märkbart, kännbarhet.