Nämligen

Nämligen is a Swedish adverb used to specify or clarify, roughly equivalent to "namely" or "that is to say." It introduces a precise detail or correction that narrows or clarifies what has just been stated.

Etymology: The modern form nämligen derives from an older form namnligen, related to the noun namn (name) with a suffix that conveyed “in particular.” Over time the spelling settled as nämligen, carrying the same sense of specification. In older texts you may encounter namnligen.

Usage: Nämligen is common in written Swedish and also used in speech, often for emphasis or precise clarification. It typically follows a clause and introduces a list or a specification. It can be used to correct or specify what was meant. In writing, it is often preceded by a pause and sometimes set off by a comma, as in Det var nämligen jag som ringde.

Examples:

- Vi såg tre djur, nämligen en räv, en hare och en fågel.

- Det var nämligen hon som gjorde det.

- Vi har flera planer inför helgen, nämligen resa, vila och träffa vänner.

Notes: Nämligen is generally considered to be somewhat formal or literary; in everyday conversation speakers may choose alternatives such as det vill säga or bara säga vad som menas, depending on context.