egentlig

Danish

Alternative forms

• egl. (abbreviation)

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle Low German ēgentlik (“actual”), related to Swedish egentlig, German eigentlich, Dutch eigenlijk. Derived from the adjective Middle Low German ēgen (“own”), from Proto-Germanic *aiganaz, cf. Danish egen, German eigen, English own.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /eːˀɣəntli/, [ˈeˀjn̩d̥li], [ˈeˀnli]

Adjective

egentlig

1. real, actual
2. essential, important
3. positive (definitely laid down, explicitly stated)
4. proper

Inflection

Inflection of egentlig

	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	egentlig	—	—2
indefinite neuter singular	egentligt	—	—2
plural	egentlige	—	—2
definite attributive1	egentlige	—	—

¹ When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
² The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Synonyms

• (real): decideret, virkelig
• (essential): essentiel, vigtig

Adverb

egentlig

1. really, actually
2. after all
3. exactly, precisely
4. strictly speaking
5. originally

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Middle Low German egentlik.

Adjective

egentlig (neuter singular egentlig, definite singular and plural egentlige)

1. actual
2. proper, real, true

Adverb

egentlig

1. actually

See also

• eigentleg (Nynorsk)

References

• “egentlig” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Swedish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛˈjɛntlɪ(ɡ)/, (colloquial) /ɛˈjɛŋklɪ(ɡ)/
• Compare the colloquial pronunciation, where -änt becomes -enk, with äntligen and ordentlig.

Adjective

egentlig (not comparable)

1. real, actual

   Det går att dra den slutsatsen också men det egentliga budskapet var faktiskt allas lika värde.

   You can draw that conclusion as well but the real message was actually equality for everyone.

2. (arithmetic, about fractions) proper

   Antonym: oegentlig

3. proper, in the very strictest sense of the word.

   Egentliga Sverige är en term som användes för att beskriva Sverige exklusive dess erövrade områden.

   Sweden proper is a term that was used to talk about Sweden excluding its conquered areas.

Declension

Inflection of egentlig

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	egentlig	—	—
neuter singular	egentligt	—	—
plural	egentliga	—	—
masculine plural2	egentlige	—	—
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	egentlige	—	—
all	egentliga	—	—

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Derived terms

• egentligen
• oegentlig

See also

• verklig

Further reading

• “egentlig”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)