konstatere

Konstatere is a Danish verb meaning to establish something as fact or to observe and declare something as true based on evidence. It is used in formal contexts such as medicine, law, journalism, and administration, and can be translated into English as “to ascertain” or “to determine.”

Etymology: The word derives from Latin constatare, via French constater or German konstatieren. It is related to the English verb ascertain, reflecting a shared meaning of establishing truth or fact.

Usage and grammar: Konstatere is a transitive verb. It takes a direct object or a clause introduced by the conjunction at. Infinitive form: konstatere; present tense: konstaterer; past tense: konstaterede; past participle: konstateret. Passive or impersonal constructions are common, for example: Det blev konstateret, at der var en infektion.

Examples:

- Lægen konstaterede en infektion.

- Undersøgelsen konstaterede en stigning i salget.

- Det blev konstateret, at der var fejl i regnskabet.

Nuanced use: Konstatere signals factual findings or observations rather than mere opinions. It is often used in official statements, medical reports, and statistical summaries. Its use tends to imply objectivity and evidence behind the statement, in contrast to verbs like påstå (to claim) or antage (to suppose).

See also: fastslå, påvise, bekræfte, afsløre.