forespørres

Forespørres is the present passive form of the Norwegian verb forespørre, meaning to inquire or to request information. The form is used when the subject of the sentence is the one being asked rather than the asker. It is common in formal or institutional language, including journalism, law, and administrative communication. The base verb forespørre is formed from the prefix for- added to spørre, the root meaning to ask.

Usage and examples can illustrate its formal tone. For example: Spørsmålene forespørres av pressen, meaning that the questions are being asked by the press. In sentences where the actor is explicit, the agent is introduced with av (by): Spørsmålene forespørres av departementet. The present passive can be contrasted with the active form forespørre (to inquire) and with the past passive ble forespurt, meaning “was asked.” The choice of voice and tense shapes the formality and focus of the statement.

Related terms include forespørsel (an inquiry or request) and the Danish cognate forespørres, which shares similar meaning and usage in comparable contexts. While forespørres emphasizes the passive reception of questions, forespørsel centers on the act or document of asking. In Norwegian, forespørres thus functions as a precise, formal mechanism to report that information is being sought from someone.