möget

Möget is a historical verb form found in North Germanic languages, most notably Swedish and Danish, used to express a wish or possibility. It is typically classified as an optative or present subjunctive form and is closely related to the German möge, which likewise conveys a wish or supposition in the subjunctive mood. In medieval and early modern texts, möget appears as a finite verb form functioning to express what is desired or permitted to occur.

Etymology and cognates

The form is linked to the broader Germanic verb family historically associated with ability or permission, rooted in Proto-Germanic *maganą “to be able.” Across the Germanic languages, related forms emerge in various phonological shapes, including the Old Norse and Old Danish environments, where similar optative/subjunctive meanings were expressed in different morphologies.

Usage

In historical Swedish and Danish writings, möget served to mark a wish, hope, or hypothetical possibility, often in contexts such as prayers, formal proclamations, or literary texts. It does not have a direct modern analogue in contemporary Swedish, where wishes are typically expressed with constructions using måtte, må, kan, or få, depending on nuance.

Modern status

Today, möget is regarded as archaic or literary. It is mainly of interest to scholars studying historical syntax, language change, or translations of older texts. In modern Swedish usage, the form is seldom seen outside of quotation or stylistic allusion.

See also

Möge, måtte, optative mood, subjunctive mood, Proto-Germanic *maganą.