beräkna

Beräkna is a Swedish verb meaning to calculate or to work out something by using numbers, data, or reasoning. It is used in mathematics, science, finance, and everyday contexts such as budgeting, planning, or risk assessment. The related noun beräkning refers to the act or result of calculating, while a calculation can be described as a beräkning or en uppskattning depending on precision.

Etymology and forms: Beräkna derives from beräkning, and is closely related to the Danish beregne and Norwegian beregne. These forms point to a common Germanic root meaning to reckon or determine. In Swedish, beräkna is a regular verb: present tense beräknar, past tense beräknade, supine beräknat, and present participle beräknande. It can be used transitively with objects such as a cost, a time, or a value, and it appears in both formal and technical language as well as in ordinary speech.

Usage and nuance: Beräkna is often contrasted with räknar or räkna ut, where räkna is more general counting and beräkna emphasizes derivation or determination based on data or formulas. Beräkningar are performed using arithmetic, algebra, statistical methods, or computational algorithms. In everyday language, people might say “vi beräknar kostnaden” or “kan du beräkna tiden,” while in informal speech “räkna ut” may be used for simpler or more intuitive calculations.

In summary, beräkna is a core Swedish term for performing mathematical or logical determinations, spanning mathematics, finance, science, and everyday planning.