Følgelig

Følgelig is a Danish adverb meaning "therefore; consequently; accordingly." It signals a conclusion or result that follows a preceding statement and is most common in written Danish and formal speech. It can introduce a consequence or summarize an argument, and may appear after a semicolon or at the start of a clause: "Der var regn; følgelig blev festen aflyst." It is used in a manner similar to derfor or således, but with a more formal tone; in everyday speech Danes often prefer derfor or så.

Etymology and form: Følgelig is formed from the verb følge ("to follow") plus the adverbial suffix -lig, yielding a sense of "in a following way" that has developed to mean "consequently." In older Danish orthography the form folgelig appeared. The word is cognate with Norwegian følgelig and shares the same meaning in both languages.

Usage notes: Do not confuse følgelig with følgende ("the following"), which is an adjective or determiner meaning "the following items." In formal writing følgelig helps to denote a logical consequence, while in casual speech its equivalents er derfor or så may be preferred.

See also: derfor, således, så, af den grund. Examples illustrate its role in signaling a result derived from prior information.