tänkes

Tänkes is a verb form found in Swedish, used primarily in archaic or highly formal prose. It represents the present passive of the verb tänkas, which means to be thought of, to be considered, or to be supposed.

In practice, tänkes appears in impersonal constructions that express proposals, expectations, or deliberations. It is commonly found in legal, philosophical, or religious writings from earlier periods. An illustrative example is "Det tänkes att nya regler införs," meaning "It is thought that new rules shall be introduced."

Grammatically, tänkes is used without an explicit subject and conveys an impersonal assessment. It forms part of a larger verb phrase with an infinitive clause, as in "Det tänkes att ...". The infinitive is tänkas (att tänkas). The tense is present, though older texts may employ different modalities or constructions.

Etymology and cross-linguistic notes: Tänkes derives from tänka, "to think," and has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Norwegian tenkes and Danish tænkes. The form reflects a common pattern in the region where the present passive marks contemplated actions and propositions.

Modern status: In contemporary Swedish, tänkes is rare and chiefly encountered in historical or stylistic contexts. More common equivalents express the same idea with antas ("is assumed") or anses ("is considered"). Despite its rarity, the form remains of interest to linguists studying older Swedish grammar and the development of passive constructions.