sørger

Sørger is a Norwegian verb with several related meanings. Primarily it means to mourn or grieve for someone who has died. It is also used in the sense of taking care of or providing for someone when paired with the preposition for, as in sørge for. The present tense form is sørger (for I/he/she grieves or takes care of). The past tense is sørget, and the perfect tense is har sørget.

Etymology and cognates: Sørger derives from Old Norse sorg, meaning sorrow or grief. It has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Danish sorg and Swedish sorg, which retain a similar sense of sorrow. The broader noun form sorg denotes grief or mourning, and appears in related expressions across the Nordic languages.

Usage and nuance: In everyday Norwegian, sørger is used to express personal mourning, such as mourning a family member or friend. It can also appear in phrases that describe emotional response to loss. When used with the preposition for, sørge for means to look after, provide for, or ensure for someone or something, as in sørge for barna (take care of the children) or sørge for at alt går bra (ensure that everything goes well). The context often makes clear whether the sense is emotional grief or general caretaking.

See also: Sorg, the noun for sorrow or mourning, and the related phrases å sørge for and sorgen, the act or state of mourning.