inntjene

Inntjene is a Norwegian verb meaning to earn or to gain, especially in the sense of earning money or income through work, but it can also be used for earning non-monetary rewards such as respect or reputation. It is a formal or standard register form built from the base verb tjene with the prefix inn-, which emphasizes completion or accumulation of results.

Usage and forms: The infinitive is inntjene. Common conjugations include inntjener (present tense) and inntjente (past tense). The perfect tense is har inntjent. The noun form related to the act of earning is inntjening, and the past-participle adjective inntjent can appear in contexts such as "inntjent erfaring" (earned experience) or "inntjent inntekt" (earned income), though more common phrasing may use other terms in everyday language.

Contexts and nuance: Inntjene is widely understood in economic and business contexts, such as earnings from work, investments, or projects. It can also appear in discussions of social merit, where one “earns” respect or credibility through actions. The term is coordinated with other Norwegian verbs for earning, such as tjene, but inn- adds a sense of accumulation or fulfillment of a goal.

Related terms: tjene, inntjening, inntekt, earned (inntjent). In Scandinavian languages, cognate forms exist but usage and exact meaning can differ; in Norwegian, inntjene is the standard form for the notion of earning through effort or achievement.