ägaren

Ägaren is a Swedish noun meaning “the owner” or “proprietor,” referring to a person or entity that has legal ownership of something. The term is used across everyday language, property contexts, and law to denote the holder of ownership rights, whether it concerns real property, vehicles, businesses, or other assets.

Forms and grammar: the indefinite singular form is en ägare, the definite singular form is ägaren, the indefinite plural form is ägare, and the definite plural form is ägarna. The word is formed from the verb äga (to own) with the agent suffix -are, a common Swedish pattern for agent nouns.

Usage and contexts: ägaren has broad applicability. In real estate, it designates the person whose name is on the title or who bears ownership. In vehicle ownership, it identifies the person responsible for the asset. In business, it can refer to the owner of a company, though more specific terms such as aktieägare (shareholder) are often used for corporations. In cases of co-ownership (samägande), several ägare share ownership rights and obligations according to an agreement or law.

Rights and responsibilities: the owner generally has the right to use, enjoy, derive income from, or dispose of the asset, within legal limits. Ownership also entails costs and risks, such as maintenance, taxes, and potential liability. When ownership is shared, decisions and duties are allocated among the ägare, sometimes through formal agreements.

Related terms: äganderätt (ownership/right of ownership), ägande (ownership, the act of owning), and samägd (joint-owned). In corporate contexts, many owners are referred to as aktieägare (shareholders) or ägare in a broader sense.