väntans

Väntans is a noun used in Swedish-language contexts to denote the state of waiting or anticipation. It is closely related to väntan (the wait) and the verb vänta (to wait). In literary and cultural usage, väntans is employed to evoke a mood of suspense, longing, or expectancy rather than describing a specific event.

Etymology and grammar: Väntans belongs to the samma word family as väntan and vänta. It stems from the same linguistic roots as other North Germanic forms of waiting. In modern Swedish, väntan is the common noun for “the wait,” while väntans can appear as a genitive or possessive form in certain constructions, often in more formal or poetic language. In everyday speech, väntan is typically the more common choice.

Usage and context: Väntans is most often encountered in poetry, criticism, and elevated prose, where it helps to foreground temporality and emotional tense. It may be used in phrases such as “väntans stund” to designate the moment of anticipation before a turn of events or revelation, or more broadly to signify the experience of expectancy during a period of uncertainty.

See also: väntan, vänta, anticipation, expectation, longing.