kørt

Kørt is the past participle of the verb to drive in several North Germanic languages, notably Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish. The form conveys that something has been driven or has undergone driving, and it appears in passive constructions as well as as an adjective in some contexts. The exact spelling differs by language: Norwegian and Danish typically use kjørt or kørt, while Swedish uses kört. These forms all derive from cognate verbs meaning to drive, with the onset of the participle rooted in Old Norse.

In usage, kjørt/kørt/kört functions in sentences that describe completed action or a state resulting from driving. Examples include Norwegian: Bilen er kjørt bort (The car has been driven away) or Jeg har kjørt hele dagen (I have driven all day). Danish: Bilen er kørt væk; Jeg har kørt hele dagen. Swedish: Bilen har kört iväg; Jag har kört hela dagen. In each language, the participle is common in perfect or passive constructions and often paired with auxiliary verbs like er/har (is/has).

Etymology traces kjørt/kørt/kört to the verb kjøre (to drive), ultimately dating to Old Norse keyra and related forms across the Scandinavian languages. The word sits alongside other participles formed with similar patterns and is part of everyday terminology related to transportation, travel, and the completion of driving actions. In all three languages, the form and its usage are well established in standard grammar, with regional pronunciation and orthographic variations reflecting each language’s norms.