våken

Våken is an adjective used in Norwegian and Swedish to describe a state of being awake, alert, or vigilant. In both languages it denotes the opposite of sleep or unconsciousness and is commonly used to indicate attentiveness or readiness.

Etymology and cognates: Våken derives from Old Norse vakkn or vakkr, with roots in the Proto-Germanic word family for waking. The Scandinavian forms are closely related to the English word wake, reflecting shared Germanic origins. In Swedish, the form is vaken; in Norwegian, våken with the vowel marked by the language’s spelling.

Usage: In Norwegian, you typically see phrases such as "han er våken" (he is awake) or "våken natt" to describe someone who remains alert during a night shift. The term can describe a person who is not sleeping or someone who is attentive and perceptive. In Swedish, "vaken" is used similarly to mean awake or alert, and it is often paired with nouns like uppmärksamhet (attention) to convey vigilance.

Related forms: The noun våkenhet (wakefulness, vigilance) is used in medical, psychological, and security contexts to discuss levels of consciousness or attention. The related verb form "vakna" means to wake up, and "vaken" can appear in compound adjectives and predicates as a state descriptor.

See also: Wakefulness, alertness, vigilance, wake.

Overall, våken and its related terms describe a basic, cross-linguistic concept of consciousness and attentiveness, framing how individuals engage with their environment while not asleep.