kötelez

Kötelez is a Hungarian verb meaning to obligate, bind, or require someone to do something. It is used to express that an obligation is imposed by law, contract, agreement, or moral duty. The action is transitive, typically involving a subject who imposes the obligation and an object who is bound by it, often followed by a clause or an infinitive that indicates the required action.

The word is etymologically linked to the verb kötni, “to bind,” and comes from the same semantic field of binding or tying someone to a duty. Related forms in Hungarian include kötelezettség (obligation), kötelező (mandatory or obligatory), and kötelezettségvállalás (assumption of an obligation). These related terms reflect the same core concept of binding someone to a specified duty or requirement.

In usage, kötelez appears in formal, administrative, and legal language as well as in everyday speech when describing duties or requirements. For example, it can appear in sentences that indicate that a person, organization, or agreement imposes an obligation on someone else to perform a task or meet a standard. The verb can combine with auxiliary constructions to express nuances such as the imposition of an obligation, compliance, or enforcement, depending on the surrounding context.

See also: kötelező, kötelezettség, kötelezettségvállalás, kötelező érvényű.