nauðsynlegar

Nauðsynlegar is the feminine plural form of the Icelandic adjective nauðsynlegur, meaning “essential” or “necessary.” It is used to describe feminine nouns in the nominative and accusative cases in the plural. The related masculine and neuter forms are nauðsynlegur and nauðsynlegt, and the base noun is nauðsyn, meaning “necessity.” The suffix -leg signals a characteristic of being necessary.

In practical use, nauðsynlegar appears in formal, technical, and policy language. Common collocations include nauðsynlegar forsendur (essential prerequisites) and nauðsynlegar upplýsingar (essential information). The term conveys that something is required or indispensable in a given context.

Grammatical notes: The form nauðsynlegar is chosen to agree with feminine plural nouns; for other gender-number combinations, other forms are used (for example nauðsynlegur with masculine singular, nauðsynlegt with neuter singular). In sentences, agreement must reflect the noun being described.

Etymology and status: The word derives from nauðsyn, “necessity,” combined with the adjectival suffix -leg to form nauðsynlegur, with nauðsynlegar representing the feminine plural inflection. nauðsynlegar is a common, widely understood term in Icelandic and often functions as a direct translation for “essential” or “necessary” in English. It appears across everyday, academic, and official Icelandic discourse.