hjertets

hjertets is the genitive form of the definite Danish noun hjertet, meaning "the heart." It functions as a possessive determiner indicating something belonging to or associated with the heart. The possessive is formed by adding the suffix -s to the definite form hjertet, producing hjertets. This pattern—adding -s to the definite noun to express possession—is common in Danish and is used without an apostrophe.

In usage, hjertets is used to denote the heart’s attributes or possessions in written and formal Danish. Examples include hjertets slag (the heart’s beat), hjertets sundhed (the heart’s health), and hjertets kamre (the heart’s chambers). While many speakers also express possession through prepositional phrases like sundheden i hjertet (the health of the heart), the hjertets form remains prevalent in literature, poetry, and fixed expressions.

Etymology and cognates: hjertet derives from Old Danish hjerta or hjarta and is cognate with Swedish hjärtat and Norwegian hjertet. The possessive form hjertets reflects a shared Scandinavian pattern in which the definite noun is suffixed with -s to indicate possession. This form coexists with other methods of expressing possession in Danish, underscoring the language’s historical genitive construction.

See also: Danish grammar, genitive constructions, possessive suffix -s.