Orsak

Orsak is a Swedish noun meaning “cause” or “reason.” The term also appears in Norwegian as årsak and in Danish as årsag, reflecting shared Germanic linguistic roots. In Swedish, orsak designates the factor or justification behind an event, action, or situation, and it is used in both everyday speech and formal writing.

Usage and nuance: Orsak typically refers to a causal factor, emphasizing why something happened. It is often contrasted with anledning, which can mean “reason” or “occasion” in a broader or less strictly causal sense. In Swedish, common phrases include “orsaken till” followed by a description of the event or condition, as in “Orsaken till olyckan var snabba beslut” or “Orsaken till klimatförändringen är komplex.”

Examples: “Orsaken till olyckan var att föraren var distraherad.” This illustrates how orsak signals a definite cause rather than mere motivation. In scientific or investigative contexts, orsak is a standard term for identifying contributing factors or underlying drivers.

Etymology and related terms: Orsak is a native Scandinavian word with Norwegian and Danish cognates (årsak and årsag). It belongs to a broader family of words used across Germanic languages to express causation and justification. While meanings overlap with synonyms like anledning, orsak specifically emphasizes causal connections in explanations.

See also: causality, reason, justification, explanation.