freiwillig

Freiwillig is a German adjective and adverb meaning "voluntary" or "of one's own free will." As an adjective, it describes actions, commitments, or statuses undertaken without coercion, for example "eine freiwillige Teilnahme" or "freiwillige Arbeit." As an adverb, it appears in sentences like "Er hat freiwillig mitgemacht." The noun form for a person is "der Freiwillige" (plural: die Freiwilligen), referring to someone who offers services voluntarily.

The term is composed of frei ("free") and willig ("willing") and denotes acting of one’s own accord. It has been in use in modern German since at least the 18th or 19th century and is common in civic and organizational contexts.

Freiwillig is widely used in the context of volunteering and civil service. Common phrases include "freiwilliges Engagement," "freiwilliger Dienst," "Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ)" and "Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD)." In organizations the term differentiates voluntary participation from mandatory or paid roles. The concept is often contrasted with "unfreiwillig" or "verpflichtend."