Neophodne

Neophodne is an adjective form used in several South Slavic languages, including Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin. It means "necessary" or "essential" and is used to describe things, conditions, or requirements that are indispensable for a particular purpose. The form is typically feminine plural, as in neophodne uslove (necessary conditions) or neophodne mere (necessary measures). It can also appear in other gender and number forms to agree with the noun it modifies, for example neophodan korak (a necessary step) or neophodno sredstvo (a necessary means).

Usage and meaning

The word conveys a sense of indispensability or obligation. It is common in formal, administrative, and official language, such as policy documents, project plans, and technical specifications. In everyday language, neophodne may be used to indicate minimum requirements or essential items for a given task, situation, or goal.

Grammatical notes

Neophodne is the feminine plural form of neophodan (masculine singular) and neophodno (neuter singular). Its exact form changes to match the noun it describes, following standard Slavic adjective declension patterns. The related adverbial form neophodno means “it is necessary” and is used to express necessity more generally.

Etymology and regional use

The term is formed from a negating prefix ne- combined with a root denoting obligation or necessity, a pattern common across South Slavic languages. It is a standard, widely understood term in Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin, with close spelling and meaning across these varieties.