Sammenkørt

Sammenkørt is a Danish term used to describe carpooling—the practice of sharing a car ride with others rather than each person driving separately. The word functions as both an adjective (sammenkørt) and the past participle of the verb køre sammen, meaning to drive together. The common noun for the practice is samkørsel (also spelled sammenkørsel), with samkørsel being the more frequent form in contemporary Danish, though both spellings appear in use. The etymology is straightforward: sammen means together, and kørt is the past participle of køre, to drive.

Usage and context: Samkørsel describes a ride arrangement in which two or more people travel together for a scheduled route or common commute, often with cost-sharing or efficiency goals. It is a term used in transport policy, workplace programs, and media discussions about reducing traffic congestion and emissions. In policy contexts, sammenkørsel is promoted as a way to increase vehicle utilization efficiency and reduce parking demand.

Regional and linguistic notes: Similar concepts exist in other Scandinavian languages, for example Norwegian samkjøring or samskjøring and Swedish samåkning. The Danish term sits within the broader sustainable mobility discourse in Denmark and is often discussed alongside initiatives to encourage shared rather than single-occupancy travel.

Related concepts include carpooling and ride-sharing more generally. In everyday use, sammenkørt may describe a vehicle or a person involved in shared travel arrangements, such as a sammenkørt bil or a person who participates in carpooling.