denna

Denna is a Swedish demonstrative determiner and pronoun that means "this" or "these." It is used to point to something near the speaker or to single out a noun already mentioned in the discourse. In formal or literary Swedish, denna and its related forms are common, while in everyday speech people more often use the spoken equivalents den här or det här.

Forms and usage. The standard inflectional forms are denna (singular, common gender), detta (singular, neuter), and dessa (plural). These forms precede the noun they modify: denna bok (this book), detta hus (this house), dessa böcker (these books). As a pronoun, denna, detta, and dessa can stand alone to refer to the thing already indicated: Detta är viktigt; Denna används ofta i formell text; Dessa har blivit nya.

Register and alternatives. Denna is typical of written and careful language and appears in legal, academic, or editorial contexts. In casual speech, speakers frequently opt for den här, det här, eller dessa för a more spoken tone. Denna and its related forms can also appear in fixed phrases and stylistic expressions in literature.

Notes on variability. While the basic paradigm is taught in Swedish grammar, actual usage varies by region and style guide. Modern Swedish frequently merges or replaces older demonstratives with more flexible constructions in everyday conversation, but denna remains a standard option in formal writing and in careful editing.

See also. Den här, Det här, Dessa. Demonstratives in Swedish. Grammar of Swedish determiners and pronouns.