pænt

Pænt is a Danish word used both as the inflected neuter form of the adjective pæn and as an adverb. As an adjective it describes appearance or quality (meaning "pretty", "nice", "tidy" or "decent") and appears as pænt in neuter singular agreement or when functioning adverbially. As an adverb it commonly means "nicely", "properly", "quite" or "fairly".

In everyday use pænt appears in phrases describing aesthetics or behavior: Han ser pænt ud (He looks nice), Gør det pænt (Do it neatly). It also serves as a degree modifier: Det var pænt svært (It was fairly difficult). Tone and context determine whether the word conveys simple approval, politeness, or a milder emphasis equivalent to "rather" or "quite".

Pronunciation in standard Danish approximates to "pehnt" with the vowel represented by æ; regional variation and the feature known as stød may affect its prosody. Spelling contrasts with related Scandinavian forms such as Norwegian pent, which uses e rather than æ but shares similar meanings.

Common synonyms include fint and pæn (in other inflections), while antonyms include grim and rodet. Pænt is frequent in spoken and written Danish and appears in idiomatic expressions and everyday speech where assessment of appearance, manner or degree is intended.