sannheten

Sannheten is the Swedish noun meaning "the truth." It denotes the state or quality of being true or factually correct and is used in phrases such as "säga sanningen" (to tell the truth) and "sanningen kommer fram" (the truth will come to light). The term can refer to factual accuracy, a truthful report, or a person’s honesty.

Etymology and usage of the term reflect its place in the language. Sannheten is formed from the adjective sann, meaning true, with the abstract-noun suffix -het. It is cognate with Norwegian sannhet and Danish sandhed, and shares a common Germanic root for truth found across related languages.

Philosophically, sannheten aligns with the broader concept of truth and is discussed within standard theories such as the correspondence theory (truth as alignment with reality), the coherence theory (truth as coherence within a belief system), and the pragmatic theory (truth as what works or is useful). In Swedish and international philosophy, discussions of truth intersect with logic, epistemology, science, and media ethics, contributing to ongoing debates about how truth is defined, discovered, and validated.

In everyday life, sannheten carries moral and social weight: telling the truth is regarded as a virtue, and questions about what counts as the truth appear in journalism, law, and public discourse. Contemporary discussions also address challenges such as misinformation and post-truth, highlighting tensions between asserted truths and verifiable facts.

See also: truth, epistemology, theories of truth, misinformation.