tecknas

Tecknas is a present passive form of the Swedish verb teckna, which covers meanings such as to draw, to sketch, and to sign or subscribe. The passive form is used to indicate that something is being drawn or signed, without specifying who performs the action. In everyday Swedish, tecknas appears in both drawing contexts and in legal or financial contexts where documents or subscriptions are involved.

In legal or financial prose, tecknas commonly expresses that a contract is to be signed or shares are to be subscribed. Example: Kontraktet tecknas av båda parter. Aktier tecknas i nyemissionen. These sentences translate as “The contract is signed by both parties” and “Shares are subscribed in the new issue.”

In a visual or artistic context, tecknas can mean “is drawn” or “is sketched.” Example: Ritningarna tecknas av arkitekten. This translates to “The drawings are drawn by the architect,” with tecknas indicating the passive construction.

Grammar notes: tecknas is the present passive form, formed by adding -s to teckna. It is invariable with number: both singular and plural subjects use tecknas. The sense of teckna is clarified by the surrounding words (contract, aktier, ritningen, etc.).

Etymology: teckna historically refers to making marks, whether with a pen to draw or to sign on a document. The sense of signing stems from the act of making marks to indicate consent or ownership.