evne

Evne is a noun used in Danish and Norwegian to denote the capacity, talent, or ability of a person or thing to perform a task or function. It encompasses both natural aptitude and learned skill. In everyday use, it appears in expressions such as "evnen til at løse problemer" (the ability to solve problems) or "han har en stor evne" (he has a great ability). The plural form evner refers to abilities or talents in general; to have evner means to possess abilities.

Beyond people, evne can also refer to the functional capacity of objects, systems, or processes. In technical or scientific writing you might encounter phrases like "maskinens evne til at operere under belastning" (the machine’s capacity to operate under load) or "energienhedens evne til at levere strøm" (the energy unit’s ability to deliver power).

Etymology and related terms: Evne is a native Scandinavian word, shared by Danish and Norwegian, with cognates across the North Germanic languages. It is distinct in nuance from related terms such as færdighed (skill) or kapacitet (capacity), and its use centers on potential or capability rather than moral qualities.

See also: ability, capability, skill, talent, competence.