gjengen

Gjengen is a Norwegian term meaning "the group" or "the gang," used to refer to a close-knit circle of friends, colleagues, or, in some contexts, a criminal group. The word is formed from gjeng, meaning a group, with the definite suffix -en in Norwegian. In everyday use, gjengen conveys solidarity and shared identity; common compound forms include vennnegjengen (the friends’ group) and arbeidsgjengen (the work group).

Cognates exist in other Scandinavian languages. In Danish, gjengen carries a similar meaning, while Swedish uses gänget or the definite form of gäng to express a comparable sense of "the gang" or "the group." These terms generally signal belonging to a specific social group, though tone and connotation can vary by context.

In culture and media, gjengen is frequently used as a title or motif to evoke youth, camaraderie, or subcultural belonging. It can appear in literature, film, television, and music as a way to signal a particular social dynamic or collective identity, without implying illegality.

The meaning of gjengen is highly context-dependent. In casual speech, it denotes a friend group or social circle; in criminological or news contexts, it may refer to a gang involved in illegal activities, described with qualifiers to indicate the nature of the group. Overall, gjengen functions as a flexible label for a defined social unit within Nordic languages.