Utgång

Utgång is a Swedish noun with two principal senses. The most common meaning is a physical exit or way out from a space, such as a room, building, or vehicle. In this sense it is closely tied to safety and navigation, and is frequently seen on signage as UTGÅNG. In public and safety contexts, variants include nödutgång for an emergency exit, and huvudutgång for the main exit. Signage often combines the text with a pictogram of a running figure and uses clear, high-contrast coloring to meet accessibility standards.

A second, more abstract sense of utgång refers to an end result or outcome of a process or event. While Swedish speakers may choose utgång in formal or literary contexts, more common terms for outcome include utfallet or resultat, depending on nuance. The expression utgången av ett projekt or utgången av en rättegång is understood, though it tends to be accompanied by context that clarifies the intended sense.

Etymology and relation to other languages: utgång is formed from ut- meaning out and gång meaning going or movement. It has cognate forms in related Scandinavian languages, such as Norwegian utgang and Danish udgang, which share the same core meaning of exit.

In usage, utgång intersects daily language, architecture, and safety regulation. Its physical sense governs signage and building design, while its figurative use reflects conclusions drawn from processes, events, or negotiations.