kraftige

Kraftige is an adjective used in several Scandinavian languages, notably Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, to describe strength, power, or intensity. It denotes something that is robust, forceful, or potent, and can apply to people, objects, weather, or characteristics such as flavor or performance. In these languages, kraftige is typically the plural form that agrees with plural nouns.

Etymology and cognates: Kraftige derives from the word kraft, meaning power or strength, with a common Germanic suffix that yields adjectives meaning having the quality of. It has close cognates across Germanic languages, including German kräftig, Dutch krachtig, and Swedish kraftig, reflecting a shared Indo-European semantic field of strength and intensity.

Usage: In everyday language, kraftig is used to describe a wide range of strong or potent qualities. Danish examples include en kraftig vind (a strong wind) or en kraftig sag (a powerful joke). Norwegian examples include kraftige bølger (powerful waves) and en kraftig smak (a strong flavor). Swedish uses kraftiga in plural phrases such as kraftiga vindar (strong winds) or kraftiga muskler (strong muscles). The term often conveys robustness or substantial impact, whether referring to physical force, sensory intensity, or energetic performance.

Grammar notes: Kraftige is the plural form and generally agrees with plural nouns. In definite or more complex constructions, the exact ending may vary with dialect and syntactic context, but the core meaning remains “strong” or “powerful.”

See also: kraft (power) and kräftig (cognate in other Germanic languages).