gennem

Gennem is a Danish preposition meaning through, across, or via. It signals passage from one side of something to the other, or movement within a space, and it can also indicate the means by which something is done, or a duration within a process. In standard Danish, gennem typically governs the following noun in its definite form, as in gennem parken (through the park), gennem vinduet (through the window), or gennem hele dagen (throughout the day). It can also express channel or medium, as in sendt gennem nettet (sent through the Internet) or communicated gennem telefonen.

Beyond literal movement, gennem is used for broader passages, such as over time or across a sequence of events. Examples include gennem ugen (during the week) and gennem historien (throughout history).

Etymology and cognates: gennem has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Swedish genom and Norwegian gjennom, which, along with Danish, derive from a common Germanic root meaning “through.” This reflects a shared regional use to express crossing, via, or across.

Usage notes: When used with a noun, the noun often appears in definite form after gennem, a typical feature of Danish prepositional phrases. The sense of gennem as “through” or “via” can also be extended metaphorically to describe processes, experiences, or examinations that pass from start to finish.

In summary, gennem is a versatile Danish preposition for signaling movement through space, through a period of time, or by means of a channel, with a preference for definite nouns following it.