Danish

Verb

bestemme ‎(imperative bestem, infinitive at bestemme, present tense bestemmer, past tense bestemte, perfect tense har bestemt)

1. (transitive) To determine, to ascertain.
   • 2000, Erik Øhlenschlæger, Grundlæggende Fysik 1, Gyldendal Uddannelse (ISBN 9788700465343), page 114

     Her bestemmes tyngdekraftens arbejde som summen af arbejdet ved de tre lineære dele af bevægelsen.

     Here, the work done by gravity is found to be the sum of the work at the three linear parts of the movement.

2. (transitive) To decide, to decree.

   Kongen bestemte at knive skulle være ulovlige at bære.

   The king commanded that bearing knives should be illegal.

   • 2005, Trine May, Genreserien. Kanongode Fortællinger, Gyldendal Uddannelse (ISBN 9788702037159), page 61

     Eller de bestemte, at cigaretter og slips skulle koste mere, og balloner og badmintonketsjere skulle koste mindre.

     Or they decided that cigarets and ties should cost more, and that ballons and batminton racquets should cost less.

   • 2014, Gabriel García Márquez, 100 års ensomhed, Rosinante & Co (ISBN 9788763839693)

     Hun bestemte at der i gården, i skyggen af kastanietræet, skulle bygges et baderum til kvinderne og et andet til mændene ...

     She decided that two bathhouses, one for the women and another for the men, should be built in the shadow of the chestnut tree ...

3. (reflexive) To decide on a topic; to make up one's mind.

   Jeg kan ikke bestemme mig for, hvilken dug jeg bedst kan lide!

   I can't decide which tablecloth I prefer!

Derived terms

• bestemmelse
• bestemt
• forudbestemme
• ubestemmelig

Dutch

Verb

bestemme

1. (archaic) singular present subjunctive of bestemmen

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Low German bestemmen

Verb

bestemme ‎(imperative bestem, present tense bestemmer, passive bestemmes, simple past bestemte, past participle bestemt, present participle bestemmende)

1. to decide
2. to determine

Derived terms

• bestemmelse
• bestemt (adjective)
• forutbestemme

References

• “bestemme” in The Bokmål Dictionary.