okända

Okända is a Swedish adjective meaning unknown or not identified. It is used to describe persons, objects, places, or events that are not known or have not been identified. The word inflects to agree with the noun: en okänd person; två okända personer; det okända föremålet; de okända platserna. In predicative position, the form remains okänd, okänt, or okända depending on the noun in question, for example “personerna var okända.”

Etymology and form: okända is derived from the adjective känd, meaning known, with the negating prefix o-, which is common in Swedish to form negation. The attributive form before plural nouns is okända, and the definite singular form is often det okända föremålet.

Usage and contexts: In everyday Swedish, okända describes things that are not known or identified. In journalism and police reporting, it is frequently used in phrases such as “okända gärningsmän” (unknown perpetrators) or “okända personer har setts.” In science and research, it can refer to “okända variabler” or “okända faktorer.” In fiction and media, the term is used to evoke mystery, as in headlines or descriptions that emphasize the unknown.

Notes: Okända can function both as an attributive adjective before nouns and as a predicative adjective after a linking verb. It is also possible to use okända as a solitary noun in some contexts to mean “unknowns,” though this usage is less common in standard Swedish.