gångare

Gångare is a Swedish noun meaning a person who walks, or a walker/pedestrian. The word is formed with the agent suffix -are from gång, meaning walking or a path, so gångare literally denotes “one who walks.” The term is primarily found in older or literary Swedish, and is not common in everyday speech today.

Usage and context

Gångare appears most often in historical, descriptive, or formal texts, including some legal or administrative descriptions. In contemporary everyday Swedish, speakers usually use more common expressions such as “en person som går” or, when referring to pedestrians in traffic contexts, terms like “fotgängare” or simply “pedestrian” in technical language. The choice of word can convey a more formal or antiquated tone.

Translations and related terms

In English, gångare is typically translated as pedestrian or walker. Related Swedish terms include gångväg (footpath), gångtrafik (pedestrian traffic), and gångbro (footbridge). For broader meanings of walking or hiking, other words such as vandrare (hiker) may be used, depending on context.

Cultural and linguistic notes

Gångare reflects a productive Swedish pattern of forming agent nouns with -are from verbs or nouns related to movement. While not a everyday term in modern speech, it can appear in literature, historical texts, or formal writings to evoke a traditional or precise register.