Ligjshme

Ligjshme is an Albanian adjective meaning lawful, legitimate, or in accordance with the law. It is used to describe actions, documents, agreements, and statuses that have legal validity and can be enforced within the legal system. The feminine form of the word is ligjëshme, as in kontratë ligjshme (a legally binding contract) or akt ligjëshme? For masculine nouns, ligjshëm is used, for feminine nouns ligjëshme.

Etymology and usage: ligjshme is formed from ligj (law) with a productive Albanian suffix that yields adjectives indicating compliance with the law. The term is common in legal, administrative, and public discourse in Albania and in Albanian-speaking regions.

Opposite forms: the antonym is i paligjshëm or paligjshëm/ilegjshëm, meaning illegal or unlawful. Distinctions are important in contract law, property, and regulatory contexts, where legality determines enforceability and recognition by authorities.

Examples and context: a dokument ligjshëm or një kontratë ligjshme indicates that the document or contract meets legal requirements and can be upheld in court. Legality can depend on proper authorization, compliance with constitutions and statutes, and correct registration or formalities.

Relation to broader concepts: ligjshme is often contrasted with moral legitimacy or social legitimacy (legjitim) but overlaps in everyday language, where something can be legally valid yet debated as morally legitimate, and vice versa. In legal and governance contexts, ligjshme remains the standard term for describing items, acts, or statuses that conform to the law.