ansøgende

Ansøgende is a Danish term derived from the verb ansøge, meaning to apply. In Danish, ansøgende functions both as a present participle and as a noun. As an adjective, it describes someone who is in the process of applying for something, such as a job, admission to a program, a grant, or a permit. As a noun, it can refer to a person who has submitted an application; the phrase the ansøgende can be used to denote “the applicants” or “the applying persons.”

In practice, many texts distinguish between the individual applicant and the group of people who apply. The common noun for a single applicant is ansøger, while ansøgende is often used when emphasis is on the action of applying or on a collective or unspecified group of applicants. The plural form de ansøgende is standard when referring to multiple applicants in formal or administrative contexts.

Usage examples include: De ansøgende til stillingen blev indkaldt til interview. En ansøgende har indsendt sin ansøgning. The term is frequently found in official documents, recruitment materials, academic admissions, and grant processes, where the focus is on the pool of applicants rather than on any one individual.

Etymologically, ansøgende is formed from the verb ansøge with the participial suffix -ende, mirroring similar constructions in other Scandinavian languages (for example, svenska sökande, norsk søkende). The word remains a neutral, descriptive term used in formal Danish discourse to discuss processes of applying and the people involved.