saken

Saken is a Swedish noun meaning "thing," "matter," or "affair." It covers both concrete objects and abstract topics, and it appears in everyday language as well as formal or legal contexts. In common usage, saker can refer to physical items as well as issues under consideration.

Grammatical notes: Saken is the definite singular form of the neuter-genre noun sak, which has the indefinite singular en sak, indefinite plural saker, and definite plural sakerna. Typical constructions include en sak (a thing), den sak an undersökt, och den saken (that matter) or den sak vi diskuterar. In everyday speech, phrases such as denna sak (this matter) and den här saken (this thing) are common.

Etymology and related forms: Sak is cognate with similar words in other Scandinavian languages and originates from Old Norse roots meaning “case” or “affair.” The term has broad usage across domains, from everyday objects to legislative or judicial matters.

Usage and connotations: The word remains neutral and versatile. It can denote tangible possessions—en sak i fickan (a thing in the pocket)—and abstract matters, such as legal cases or civic issues—denna sak kräver noggrann utredning (this matter requires careful investigation). In legal and administrative language, sak often carries a formal tone when referring to a "case" or "issue under discussion."

See also: sak, saker, saklighet, saklighet (objectivity).

Overall, saken functions as a fundamental building block in Swedish for naming both concrete items and broader topics, with clear grammatical patterns and wide applicability across registers.