bestemme

Bestemme is a verb used in Norwegian (bokmål and nynorsk) and Danish with the core senses to decide, to determine, or to exercise authority over something. It covers choosing a course of action, setting rules, and having control in a given situation. In English, translations include to decide, to determine, or to govern.

Form and usage: The infinitive is å bestemme; present tense is bestemmer; past tense is bestemte; past participle is bestemt, used with has/har (har bestemt). The reflexive form å bestemme seg means to decide for oneself. For example, Jeg må bestemme meg før jeg svarer (I must decide for myself before I answer). Non-reflexive use expresses decision on a matter, as in Loven bestemmer hvilke regler som gjelder (The law determines which rules apply). The phrase å bestemme over can mean to have authority over something, for example Kommunen bestemmer over offentlige arealer (The municipality decides over public land).

Synonyms and nuance: Bestemme is often contrasted with beslutte, where beslutte tends to convey a more formal or deliberative decision, while bestemme covers a broader sense of deciding or fixing something. In other Scandinavian languages, cognates exist with similar meanings: Danish at bestemme and Swedish bestämma.

Etymology and cognates: The word is cognate with Danish bestemme and Swedish bestämma, rooted in the North Germanic linguistic family and traceable to Old Norse forms meaning to fix or determine.