väpnar

Väpnar is a Swedish verb in the present tense meaning to arm or to equip with weapons. It is transitive and used when describing the act of supplying weapons or otherwise enabling the use of force. The subject performing väpnar can be a state, an organization, or an individual. In historical or military contexts, väpnar often appears in discussions of arming forces, militias, or personal defense.

Etymology and related forms: Väpnar derives from the noun vapen, meaning weapon, with the –na suffix forming the verb. The noun vapen itself comes from Old Norse vápn, related to the English word weapon and the German Waffe. The verb’s infinitive is väpna; the past tense is väpnade, and the supine is väpnat. The past participle is väpnad, used in compound tenses and as an adjective (väpnad försvar).

Usage and nuance: Väpnar emphasizes the action of provisioning with weapons rather than the mere existence of weapons. It is commonly found in official, historical, or analytical writing about defense, military strategy, arms control, or security policy. While the term can describe arming initiatives by a government, it can also appear in discussions of crime or illicit arms procurement, where authorities note who väpnar whom.

Examples: Regeringen väpnar försvarsmakten med ny utrustning. Historiska dokument beskriver hur fästen väpnades under medeltiden. Författaren väpnade sina argument med hänvisningar till bevis.

See also: vapen (weapons), vapenexport (arms export), armament, väpnad konflikt.