Oansvariga

Oansvariga is a Swedish adjective meaning ir­re­spon­si­ble, used to describe persons or actions that lack or disregard responsibility. The term is often employed in everyday language, media and political commentary to label behavior regarded as careless, unsafe or neglectful of duties. It carries a pejorative tone and can be used about individuals, groups or institutions.

Inflection and forms. The base form is oansvarig. Indefinite singular: en oansvarig person, ett oansvarigt beslut. Plural: oansvariga personer, oansvariga beslut. Definite forms follow standard Swedish patterns: den oansvariga personen, det oansvariga beslutet, de oansvariga personerna, de oansvariga besluten.

Etymology and nuance. The word is built from the negating prefix o- attached to ansvarig (responsible). Like other o- compounds in Swedish, its use signals a negation of responsibility or accountability. While widely understood, it is a value-laden descriptor and is more common in evaluative or critical contexts than in neutral descriptions.

Usage and examples. Common contexts include critiques of conduct in work, politics, or public life. Examples might be: “Det var oansvarigt av företaget att ignorera varningssignalerna.” or “De ansåg att besluten var oansvariga.” In formal writing, speakers may opt for milder synonymer such as ansvarslös or undersöka ansvarsfrågan, depending on the degree of dispute and the desired tone.

See also. Ansvar, Ansvarstagande, Ansvarslöshet, Kritik i offentlighet.

Notes. As a strongly evaluative term, oansvariga is most appropriate when the speaker intends to condemn or emphasize a lack of accountability. Its exact connotation can vary with context and tone.