händer

Händer is a Swedish word with two common uses. As a plural noun, händ­er refers to the limbs at the end of the arms: the hands. In human anatomy a hand comprises the palm, the back of the hand, fingers including the thumb, and a complex system of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, nerves, and skin that enables grasping and manipulation. The plural form is händ­er, and the definite plural is händ­er­na. The word appears in everyday descriptions of actions, injuries, or anatomy, such as describing how tasks are performed with both hands.

As a present-tense verb form, händ­er is the conjugated form of the verb hända, meaning to happen or occur. It is used impersonally: Det händer ofta means It happens often. This form is identical in spelling to the plural noun, but the meaning is determined by context.

Etymology: both senses descend from a common Germanic root related to the word for hand in other Germanic languages, with Swedish retaining forms that reflect its Old Norse heritage. The noun and verb are distinct parts of speech, but share historical origins tied to the concept of a hand.

See also: hand, anatomy of the hand. References: standard Swedish dictionaries and grammar sources.