resonerar

Resonerar is a Swedish verb meaning to reason, to think through a problem in a logical, justificatory way, or to present reasons in support of a position. The term is used in philosophy, logic and critical debate, as well as in everyday problem solving, to describe the process of evaluating premises, drawing conclusions and weighing evidence.

Common constructions include resonera kring, resonera om and resonera över, followed by a topic: “Hon resonerar kring orsakerna till prisökningen” or “Vi resonerade över möjliga lösningar.” The verb is a regular -er verb in the present tense: jag resonerar, du resonerar, han resonerar, vi resonerar, ni resonerar, de resonerar. Preterite is resonerade and the past participle is resonerat. The related noun is resonemang, meaning a line of reasoning or a chain of argument.

Resonerar derives from the French raisonner, meaning “to reason,” which in turn traces to Latin ratio “reason.” The Swedish form appeared in early modern Swedish and has since become a standard term in both formal and informal language, carrying a sense of structured thought rather than idle contemplation.

Usage notes and related terms: resonemang or resonemangskedja refers to the process or sequence of reasoning. Resonerar emphasizes logic, justification and argumentative clarity, whereas omkring reflektion or tänkande can convey more general or introspective thinking. In academic and formal writing, resonerande is commonly used to describe the act of presenting reasons and evaluating competing arguments.