Otillåten

Otillåten is a Swedish adjective meaning not allowed or forbidden. It describes actions, items, or situations that fall outside the permissions granted by rules, regulations, or agreements. The opposite form is tillåten, meaning permitted, and the related noun tillstånd refers to permission or authorization. In everyday language as well as in formal texts, otillåten is used to mark restrictions and prohibitions.

Etymology and form: Otillåten is formed by adding the negating prefix o- to tillåten, which comes from tillåta, to permit. The word is commonly used across legal, administrative, and public-safety contexts, and it pairs with related terms such as förbjuden (forbidden) or otillbörlig (inappropriate, improper), depending on nuance.

Usage and examples: In signage and rules, you will see phrases like det är otillåtet att parkera här or det är otillåtet att filma i butiken. In other contexts, one may speak of otillåtna handlingar or otillåtna regler to describe actions or guidelines that are not permitted. The term often emphasizes a breach of stated permissions rather than a moral judgment.

Nuance and context: Otillåten and förbjuden are overlapping but not always interchangeable. Otillåten tends to refer to violations of rules, permissions, or administrative standards, while förbjuden may carry a stronger normative or legal prohibition. The exact choice can depend on the formal or everyday register of the text.

See also: tillåten, tillstånd, förbjuden, otillbörlig, regler.