afhængig

Afhængig is a Danish adjective meaning dependent or reliant, describing something that depends on or is influenced by another factor. It can refer to people, situations, or objects that require support, resources, or conditions to function.

When used with the preposition af, as in afhængig af, the word specifies the thing on which the subject depends: for example, afhængig af medicin (dependent on medication) or afhængig af støttende forhold (dependent on supportive conditions). In everyday language it also denotes addiction: afhængig af alkohol or afhængig af stoffer means addicted to such substances. In medical or policy contexts, afhængighed is typically the noun for addiction, while afhængig emphasizes the dependency relation.

As a noun, the standard term for the concept is afhængighed. The form afhængig is primarily an adjective, but it can appear in some constructions or dialectal usage as a noun referring to a dependent person or an addicted individual; however this usage is less common and may be considered informal.

Related terms include uafhængig (independent), afhængighed (dependency or addiction), and afhængighedssygdom (addiction). The word is used across everyday speech, clinical contexts, and discussions of social or economic dependence as well as substance use.