kända

Kända is a Swedish adjective meaning "famous" or "well-known." It is the plural form of the adjective känd and is used before plural nouns to indicate public recognition. For example: kända personer (famous people) and kända företag (well-known companies). The basic inflections are känd (common gender singular), känt (neuter singular), and kända (plural). In definite noun phrases the adjective follows the same plural or definite patterns, as in de kända personerna (the famous people).

Kända is commonly used in journalism, literature, and everyday speech to denote individuals or entities that are widely recognized within a field or by the general public. It can describe both contemporary figures and historical ones, depending on context. The term is often interchangeable with synonyms such as berömd (renowned) and välkänd (well-known), though each carries slightly different nuance.

Related forms and related nouns: kändis refers to a celebrity or public figure, while kändhet denotes a state of being known or a reputation. The word is widely understood in Swedish-speaking contexts and forms part of common collocations like kända ansikten (familiar faces) or kända landmärken (famous landmarks).

Etymology: känd originates from the verb känna "to know" and historically developed from a participial form meaning "known." In modern usage it primarily conveys the sense of being recognized publicly or having notable reputation rather than merely being known in a private sense.