håndtere

Håndtere is a verb used in Danish and Norwegian to mean to handle, manage, or deal with something or someone. It covers both physical handling, such as operating equipment, and more abstract forms of management, such as handling tasks, decisions, or information. The term is widely used across business, technology, health, and everyday life.

The word derives from the root related to hand (hånd) in Germanic languages, with a productive suffix that forms verbs describing action or handling. In both Danish and Norwegian, it is a core verb with similar meanings and closely related forms in both languages.

Grammatical forms vary slightly between Danish and Norwegian. In Norwegian, the infinitive is å håndtere; the present tense is håndterer; the simple past is håndterte; and the perfect is har håndtert. In Danish, the infinitive is at håndtere; the present tense is håndterer; the simple past is håndterede; and the supine or past participle is håndteret. The noun form for the act is håndtering, meaning handling or management, and the adjective form håndterbar means manageable.

Usage and nuance: håndtere is broad and can apply to physical manipulation, administrative tasks, risk management, data processing, customer relations, and crisis response. Common collocations include håndtere en situation, håndtere data, or håndtere risiko. It often implies competence and control, though the level of skill can vary by context. Related terms include håndtering (the act of handling) and håndterbar (manageable).