Obligatorisk
Obligatorisk is an adjective used in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish to denote something that is required by rules, policy or law and therefore cannot be omitted. It describes obligations that must be fulfilled, such as courses, forms, or safety requirements. The term is commonly found in education, public administration, healthcare and employment contexts. Examples include “Kursen är obligatorisk för examen” (The course is mandatory for the degree) and “Det är obligatoriskt att bära hjälm” (It is obligatory to wear a helmet).
Etymology and cognates: obligatorisk stems from Latin obligatus meaning bound or obligated, via the influence of
Usage notes: Obligatory is typically used for formal or official obligations, as opposed to words like frivillig
Related terms and nuance: While closely related to “tvång” (coercion) and “nödvändigt” (necessary), obligatorisk emphasizes external