etterspør

Etterspør is a Norwegian verb meaning to request, to demand, or to inquire about something. It is used when someone seeks information, goods, or services, or when an authority or market participant asserts a need. In economics, the related noun etterspørsel denotes consumer demand for goods and services.

Originating from the prefix etter- meaning “in response to” combined with spørre “to ask,” the verb signals an active pursuit of a response or delivery. The nuance is stronger than simply asking a question and is often employed in formal, administrative, or business contexts. It can convey a demand or a formal request rather than a casual inquiry.

Conjugation commonly used in Norwegian includes:

- Present: jeg etterspør, du etterspør, han/hun etterspør, vi etterspør, dere etterspør, de etterspør

- Preterite (past): jeg etterspurte, du etterspurte, han/hun etterspurte, vi etterspurte, dere etterspurte, de etterspurte

- Present perfect: jeg har etterspurt, du har etterspurt, han/hun har etterspurt, vi har etterspurt, dere har etterspurt, de har etterspurt

- Imperative: etterspør

Usage notes:

Etterspør is often formal or businesslike. For everyday questions, many speakers use spørre or be om, which are softer or more neutral. The noun etterspørsel refers to market or general demand, while forespørsel or forespørsel denotes a formal inquiry or request for information.

Examples:

- Jeg etterspør dokumentasjonen fra leverandøren.

- Kunder etterspør rask levering og prisåpenhet.

- Regjeringen etterspør nye statistikker.