Svigte

Svigte is a Danish verb meaning to fail someone by breaking a promise, letting someone down, or betraying trust. It describes actions in personal relationships as well as failures to meet obligations, duties, or expectations. The corresponding noun svigt denotes neglect, failure, or betrayal. In everyday use, svigte often carries a moral or ethical nuance, distinguishing ordinary disappointment from deliberate disloyalty.

Common uses include failing to keep a commitment, such as a promise or obligation. For example, "Han svigtede sin søn" can be translated as “He let his son down,” and "Hun svigtede et løfte" as “She broke a promise.” The phrase "et svigt af myndighederne" can refer to perceived neglect or betrayal by authorities.

Conjugation and grammar: the infinitive is at svigte; present tense svigter; past tense svigtede; past participle svigtet. The passive form is "bliver svigtet" (is betrayed/let down). Typical collocations include "at svigte en forpligtelse" (to fail/abandon an obligation) and "svigt og skuffelse" (neglect and disappointment).

In the Scandinavian language sphere, cognate verbs exist in Norwegian and Swedish with similar meanings: Norwegian svikte (present sviker, past sviktet) and Swedish svika/sviker, all related to failing or betraying trust. These cognates help signal a related semantic field across related languages.

Etymology: svigte is a native Danish verb with cognates across North Germanic languages, reflecting a common concept of trust, obligation, and breach. The term is widely understood in Danish-speaking contexts and appears in both formal and informal registers.