karaktäriserades

The Swedish word *karaktäriserades* is the past passive participle form of the verb *karaktäriseras*, which means “to be characterized” or “to be described in terms of character.” The form is used in passive constructions, typically in the past tense: “hennes tal karaktäriserades av en tydlig passion” (“her speech was characterized by a clear passion”). The auxiliary verb *var* or *fanns* is often used with *karaktäriserades* to form a full passive sentence: *Det karaktäriserades som*…etc.

The underlying root *karaktär* refers to a distinctive attribute, pattern, or quality. In Swedish, *karaktär* can denote personality traits, as well as physical or structural characteristics, e.g. “en byggnad karaktäriserad av ovanlig arkitektur” (“a building characterized by unusual architecture”). From the noun *karaktär* comes both the verb *karaktärisera* and the adjective *karaktäriserande*.

In academic and literary contexts, *karaktäriseras* is frequently used to describe subjects in sociological, psychological, or literary analyses. For instance, a study might claim that a certain demographic segment “karaktäriserades av hög konkurrenskraft” (“was characterized by high competitiveness”). The passive construction allows the focus to be on the attribute itself rather than on the agent producing the characterization.

The word is distinct from *karaktärisera* in the sense of “to give a character to someone or something,” which can sometimes be interpreted figuratively—“the event was karaktäriserad by surprise and emotion.” In these cases, *karaktäriserades* functions as an adjective phrase that describes the event or object in question.

Because the participle *karaktäriserades* can be combined with a variety of adjectives and descriptive phrases, it is a versatile tool in Swedish descriptive prose. It often appears in encyclopedic, historical, or scientific writing where objectivity and succinctness are required.