Kënaqjen

Kënaqjen is an Albanian noun meaning satisfaction, contentment, or gratification. It derives from the verb kënaq, meaning to satisfy or to please. The term denotes a positive emotional state that arises when desires are met, goals are achieved, or pleasant experiences occur. In everyday language, kënaqjen can refer to personal feelings of fulfilment as well as to the sense that others or groups experience satisfaction, for example customers or participants who receive a favorable outcome.

In Albanian, the base form of the noun is kënaqje and related inflected forms such as kënaqjen appear according to syntax and definiteness. The word is commonly used in both spoken and written Albanian, including journalism, literature, and discussions of well-being and ethics. It is often contrasted with negative states such as dhimbje (pain) or trishtim (sadness) and with broader concepts of happiness, sometimes expressed by related terms like kënaqësi in certain registers or dialects.

The term is closely linked to the verb kënaq, which means to satisfy or please; phrases such as të kënaqem (to become satisfied) reflect the dynamic of achieving satisfaction. In cultural and rhetorical contexts, kënaqjen may appear in discussions of personal fulfilment, consumer or civic satisfaction, and ethical or religious discourse.

See also: kënaqje, kënaqësi, të kënaqem.