gärningen is Swedish for “the act / the deed”—the definite singular of gärning. It anchors police reports, court filings, headlines and moral storytelling. This guide gives you precise meanings, forms, high-value collocations, translation tactics, pitfalls, and real-world examples so you can use (or translate) gärningen with confidence.
| Form | Swedish | Gloss |
|---|---|---|
| Indef. sg. | gärning | a deed / an act |
| Def. sg. | gärningen | the deed / the act |
| Indef. pl. | gärningar | deeds / acts |
| Def. pl. | gärningarna | the deeds / the acts |
Related: gärningsperson (perpetrator, gender-neutral), gärningsplats (scene of the act), god gärning (good deed), illgärning (misdeed).
Decision Tree: Which English to choose?
- Is a court or police context explicit? → Use the act or the conduct. Add qualifiers: intentional / negligent act.
- Is a legal classification already proven? → Pair with offense: the act constituting the offense; use crime (brott) only when elements are met.
- Is it moral/literary? → Use deed (positive/negative per tone).
- Is it generic “action” or admin? → Consider action or measure (handling may also appear in Swedish).
Legal Usage: How charges describe gärningen
Swedish charges foreground tid (time), plats (place), tillvägagångssätt (method), plus mental state (uppsåt intent / oaktsamhet negligence). Typical skeleton:
“NN har den [datum] på [plats] genom att [handling] utfört gärningen, vilken innebar [konkret följd]. Gärningen var [uppsåtlig/oaktsam] och [uppfyllde rekvisiten för X].”
- Precision beats labeling: describe what was done before concluding what crime it fulfills.
- Scale words: ringa (minor), grovt (aggravated), sometimes modifiers to gärningen.
Media Usage: Neutral wording before verdict
Reporters use gärningen to stick to verifiable facts: “what happened, where, and when.” It avoids prejudging guilt while investigations are ongoing.
- Headline patterns: “Bevis säkrade på platsen för gärningen” • “Vittnen söks efter nattens gärning.”
- Body text: Provide specifics (time, location, method) and cite sources; keep motive tentative.
Moral & Literary Nuance
Outside the courthouse, gärningen frames virtue or blame in stories and ethics. Compare tones:
| Term | Tone | Typical context |
|---|---|---|
| gärningen | neutral until judged | law, news, moral narration |
| dåd(et) | elevated/heroic or shocking | speeches, literature |
| handling(en) | broad/administrative | policy, bureaucracy, also “plot” |
| brott(et) | legal conclusion | after elements are proven |
Translation Tactics & Micro-templates
- Neutral legal stage: “evidence linking NN to the act.”
- Charging document: “the act was intentional/negligent and resulted in …”
- Sentencing: “circumstances surrounding the act were aggravating/mitigating.”
- Moral register: “a selfless deed” / “a reprehensible deed.”
Micro-template for reporters: “Gärningen occurred at [time] on [street/area]. According to police, [verifiable detail]. No conclusions about motive have been made public.”
Common Pitfalls (and Easy Fixes)
- Over-criminalizing: Don’t translate gärningen as “the crime” unless the text also uses brott or states elements are met.
- Plot confusion: handlingen can mean a story’s plot; gärningen is the concrete deed.
- Gender terms: prefer gärningsperson unless quoting sources that use traditional forms.
- Vagueness: add time/place/method details; that’s how Scandinavian legal writing builds credibility.
18 Fresh Examples with Translations
- Förhören kretsar kring hur gärningen genomfördes på verkstaden. — Interviews center on how the act was carried out at the workshop.
- Åklagaren menar att gärningen var planerad i god tid. — The prosecutor maintains the act was planned well in advance.
- Domstolen fann att gärningen var oaktsam men inte uppsåtlig. — The court found the act negligent but not intentional.
- Vittnen placerar NN nära platsen för gärningen. — Witnesses place N.N. near the scene of the act.
- Gärningen rubriceras som grov på grund av tillvägagångssättet. — The act is classified as aggravated due to the method used.
- Journalisten beskrev gärningen utan värderande språk. — The reporter described the act without evaluative language.
- Bevisläget räcker inte för att knyta NN till gärningen. — The evidence is insufficient to link N.N. to the act.
- Föreningen hyllade hennes goda gärning under årsmötet. — The association praised her good deed during the annual meeting.
- Romanens konflikt kulminerar i en hemlig gärning. — The novel’s conflict culminates in a secret deed.
- Skadeståndet bestämdes med hänsyn till följderna av gärningen. — Damages were set in view of the consequences of the act.
- Polisen spärrade av två kvarter runt platsen för gärningen. — Police cordoned off two blocks around the scene of the act.
- Motivet till gärningen är fortfarande oklart. — The motive for the act remains unclear.
- Rätten ansåg att gärningen var ringa och valde böter. — The court deemed the act minor and imposed a fine.
- Hon ångrade sin illgärning och bad om ursäkt. — She regretted her misdeed and apologized.
- Teknisk bevisning knyter fordonet till gärningen. — Forensic evidence links the vehicle to the act.
- Skildringen fokuserar på följderna snarare än själva gärningen. — The account focuses on the consequences rather than the act itself.
- Åklagaren preciserade tiden för gärningen till 03.18. — The prosecutor specified the time of the act as 03:18.
- Grannarnas insats beskrevs som en modig gärning. — The neighbors’ intervention was described as a brave deed.
High-Value Collocations & Phrase Bank
- bevisning som binder NN till gärningen — evidence tying N.N. to the act
- platsen för gärningen — scene of the act
- uppsåtlig / oaktsam gärning — intentional / negligent act
- gärningen var ringa / grov — the act was minor / aggravated
- följderna av gärningen — consequences of the act
- motiv till gärningen — motive for the act
- medhjälp till gärningen — aiding the act
- avstå från gärningen — desist from the act
Practice: translate these quickly
“Rätten beaktar omständigheterna kring gärningen.” → “The court considers the circumstances surrounding the act.”
“Han tog ansvar för sin gärning.” → “He took responsibility for his deed.”
FAQ
Is gärningen the same as brottet?
No. Gärningen is the act; brottet is the legally defined crime once elements are met.
When should I prefer “deed” over “act”?
Use deed for moral/literary tone; use act for legal/journalistic precision.
What’s the neutral term for “perpetrator” today?
Gärningsperson is commonly used as gender-neutral; gärningsman appears in older or quoted material.
Can gärningen be positive?
Yes—god gärning is a “good deed.” Context controls polarity.
Conclusion
gärningen names the precise act around which facts, motives, and judgments revolve. Choose register-appropriate English, include time/place/method, and lean on proven collocations. Do that—and your Swedish-to-English writing will be both accurate and trustworthy.