Offentlig

Offentlig is an adjective used in Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian to denote something that relates to the general population or to the state, rather than to private individuals. It signals openness, accessibility, and public ownership in many contexts and is applied to institutions, services, and information that are not private.

In common usage, offentlig is found in phrases such as offentlig sektor (the public sector), offentliga tjänster (public services), offentliga handlingar (public documents), and offentlig upphandling (public procurement). In Sweden, the concept of offentlighetsprincipen guarantees public access to official documents, promoting transparency and accountability. The term also appears in descriptions of events and institutions open to all, such as offentliga möten (public meetings) and offentliga arrangemang (public events).

The opposite of offentlig is privat, meaning private. The term can describe government-owned or publicly funded institutions, and information or services designed for broad public use. In international contexts, translations of offentlig depend on the noun, aligning with English terms such as public sector, public services, or public information.