afgøre

Afgøre is a Danish verb meaning to decide, determine, settle, or conclude a matter. It is transitive and used when bringing a matter to a final outcome, such as a decision or a ruling. In legal or administrative contexts you might hear phrases like "Sagen er afgjort" or "Sagen blev afgjort af retten." In sports, "Kampen blev afgjort i overtiden," and in everyday language, "Dette vil afgøre sagen" means "this will decide the matter."

Etymology and usage notes: Afgøre is formed from the prefix af- plus gøre (to do), with af- conveying completion or finalization. Related forms exist in other Scandinavian languages (for example Swedish avgöra, Norwegian avgjøre). The noun form is afgørelse (a decision or ruling), and the adjective is afgørende (decisive or crucial).

Conjugation: The present tense is afgør (I/you/he/we/you all/they afgør). The past tense is afgjorde. The past participle is afgjort, used with have/has to form the present perfect, e.g., har afgjort. The verb is typically used with a direct object, as in afgøre kampen, afgøre sagen.

Comparison and nuance: Beslutte often focuses on the act of making a decision or plan, whereas afgøre emphasizes the final outcome or resolution of a matter. Afgørelse refers to the act of deciding as a result, not just the act of deciding itself.

Examples: Dommeren afgør kampen. Sagen blev afgjort af retten. En ny evidens kunne afgøre udfaldet.