besætter

Besætter is a Danish verb form and a key example of the language’s use of the prefix be- with sætte (to set or place). In Danish, besætter is the present tense form used with third-person subjects to mean “occupies,” “fills,” or “takes possession of” a space, position, or role. The infinitive is besætte, the past tense is besatte, and the past participle is besættet. The word also appears in passive constructions, such as landet er besat (the country is occupied) or landet blev besat (the country was occupied).

Usage and nuances

Besætte covers a range of meanings from literal physical occupancy (taking a seat, filling a vacancy) to more abstract or administrative senses (occupying a position, filling a role, or allocating resources). It can describe both voluntary actions and situations where occupation is imposed, such as military or political control. In everyday Danish, besætte is common in contexts like staffing, seating, or appointing someone to a job.

Related terms

Besættelse is the noun form associated with the act or state of occupying or possessing something, and it can also be used in contexts of military occupation or possession of property. The term should be distinguished from besættelse in figurative senses, such as obsession or possession in other languages, where usage and nuance may differ.

Examples

- Han besætter en ledig stol i panelet. (He occupies a vacant chair in the panel.)

- Fjenden besatte landet i 1940. (The enemy occupied the country in 1940.)

- Institutionen har besat en ny stilling for projektet. (The institution has filled a new position for the project.)

See also

Besætte, besættelse, Danish verb conjugation.