hálft

Hälft is a Swedish noun meaning one of two equal parts of a whole. It is used when referring to a portion that is exactly half of something. In everyday language, Swedes more commonly use halvan expressions such as en halv (a half) or the phrasing en halv liter for measurements, while hälft appears more often in formal, historical, or fixed phrases, for example i två hälfter (in two halves).

Morphology and usage notes: the definite singular form is hälften (the half), and the indefinite singular is en hälft. The word is typically employed in contexts where a precise, two-part division is described, such as in arithmetic, geometry, or discussions of proportions. In modern Swedish, the adjective halv is frequently used in front of nouns to express half of a quantity (en halv liter), whereas hälft is more of a noun that names a half as a unit.

Etymology: hälft derives from the Proto-Germanic root *halbaz, related to the English half, the German Halb, and the Danish halv. The Swedish term shares this common heritage with other Germanic languages, reflecting the same fundamental idea of dividing a whole into two equal parts.

See also: halv, hälften, halvering, procent.

Overall, hälft is a traditional term for a half and remains part of Swedish etymology and certain fixed phrases, but in contemporary speech it is often replaced by halv or hälften depending on grammatical context.