bägge

Bägge is a Swedish word meaning "both" or "the two." It functions as a determiner before a plural noun or as a pronoun referring to two entities. In modern usage it is generally considered more formal or literary than the more common synonym båda, and in everyday speech båda is often preferred. Examples include sentences like "Bägge bilarna är röda" (Both cars are red) or "Bägge är överens" (Both are in agreement). The form can also appear as "bägge två" to emphasize that both individuals or items are included.

Etymology and cognates: The Swedish form bägge originates in the North Germanic language family and has cognates in neighboring languages, such as Norwegian bokmål begge and Danish begge. The Swedish spelling with ä reflects historical vowel development in the region and aligns with related forms in Old Norse and other Nordic languages. The word has retained a distinct, somewhat formal tone in Swedish, separating it from the more everyday båda.

Usage notes: Bägge is commonly found in written Swedish, formal speech, and literary contexts. It is less common in casual conversation, where båda is typically used. The phrase bägge två is a standard way to stress that both parties or items are included. The word is normally invariable, without gender agreement, and can function either as a determiner before a noun or as a stand-alone pronoun.

See also: båda, begge (Norwegian and Danish cognates)