Årsagen

Årsagen is the definite form of the Danish noun årsag, meaning the reason or cause of something. It refers to the origin or justification of an event, condition, or situation. The word is used across everyday language as well as in science, medicine, law, and journalism to identify why something happened.

In Danish grammar, årsag is a common noun. The basic forms are: en årsag (an cause), årsagen (the cause), årsager (causes), of årsagerne (the causes). The usual construction is the preposition phrase årsagen til followed by the event or phenomenon, for example: Hvad er årsagen til ulykken? or Årsagen til sygdommen er stadig ukendt. The term can also appear in more complex clauses, such as "årsagen skyldes" or "årsagen blev identificeret som."

Synonyms and related expressions include grund (reason), årsagssammenhæng (causal relationship), and forårsagelse in some contexts. The verb form for “to cause” is forårsage, as in noget forårsager en ændring (something causes a change).

Common contexts include scientific explanations, medical diagnoses, legal determinations, and news reporting. In discourse, årsagen is often contrasted with virkningen (the effect) in discussions of cause and effect. The phrase “årsager og virkninger” is a standard way to refer to causes and consequences.

See also: årsag og virkning, grund, forårsage. The term remains a core instrument in reasoning, investigation, and explanation, helping to articulate why events occur and how they unfold.