forpligte

Forpligte is a Danish verb that means to oblige, commit, or bind someone to a duty or promise. It is commonly used to describe moral, legal, or contractual obligations, and can refer to both personal commitments and obligations imposed by agreements or law. The sense can range from voluntary commitment to a binding requirement.

Etymology and related forms: The word derives from for- (a prefix meaning "forward" or intensifying) combined with pligt (duty). Related forms include forpligtelse (obligation or commitment), forpligtet (obligated or bound), and forpligtende (binding). The reflexive form, forpligte sig, is frequently used to indicate that the subject is committing themselves to a course of action.

Usage and constructions: The verb is often used with a prepositional phrase to specify the commitment, such as forpligte sig til at gøre noget (to commit oneself to do something) or simply forpligte sig (to commit oneself). It can take a direct object when one person obligates another, for example, at forpligte nogen til at handle på en bestemt måde (to obligate someone to act in a certain way). In formal or legal language, the passive or impersonal constructions are common: parterne er forpligtet til at overholde aftalen (the parties are obligated to comply with the agreement).

Examples:

- Virksomheden forpligter sig til at overholde miljøreglerne.

- Jeg forpligter mig til at møde op til mødet i morgen.

- Dette er en forpligtelse, som vi ikke kan ignorere.

In summary, forpligte denotes the act of creating an obligation or commitment, whether by agreement, law, or personal promise, with related nouns and adjectives used to describe the nature and degree of that binding obligation.