betyder

Betyder is a verb form meaning "to mean" or "to signify" in Scandinavian languages, most commonly Danish and Swedish. In these languages, the infinitive forms are betyde (Danish) and betyda (Swedish), while the present tense form used for he/she/it or general statements is betyder. In Norwegian, the cognate present tense is typically betyr, reflecting a closely related yet distinct form.

Meaning and usage: The verb is used to express meaning, significance, or implication of words, phrases, symbols, or actions. It appears in questions such as "Vad betyder det?" in Swedish or "Hvad betyder det?" in Danish, meaning "What does that mean?" It is also used to state the meaning of something, as in "Det betyder mycket" (that means a lot) or to indicate a consequence, as in "Det betyder at vi må ændre planer" (That means we must change plans).

Grammar and forms: Betyder is the present tense form in Danish and Swedish. The infinitive forms betyde (Danish) and betyda (Swedish) are closely related, reflecting a common Germanic origin. The verbs are typically regular in their tense formation, with past and other tenses formed by language-specific patterns within each tongue.

Etymology and cognates: The verb has cognates across Scandinavian languages and derives from a common Proto-Germanic root associated with signaling or indicating meaning. This root also gives rise to related nouns meaning "meaning" or "significance" in the respective languages.

See also: betydning (Danish), betydelse (Swedish), betydning (common noun meaning in related languages). For comparative grammar, look at betyde/betyda forms in Danish and Swedish and their usage in meaning-related constructions.