nötig

Nötig is an adjective in German that means necessary or required. It describes something that must be done, provided, or obtained in a given situation. In everyday language it is commonly used to indicate practical necessity.

Compared with notwendig, nötig is somewhat less formal. Notwendig tends to carry a stronger sense of formally required or mandated necessity, while nötig is more colloquial and situational. Phrases such as Es ist nötig, etwas zu tun, or Es ist nötig, diese Schritte zu unternehmen, are typical examples. It can be used with verbs like müssen as in Die Reparatur ist nötig, um das Gerät funktionsfähig zu halten.

Grammar and usage: as an attributive adjective it inflects with the article: ein nötiger Grund, eine nötige Maßnahme, mehrere nötige Gründe. After a definite article: der nötige Grund, die nötige Maßnahme, das nötige Problem. The noun form Das Nötige (or Das Notwendige) can be used to refer to the things that are necessary.

Etymology: nötug derives from Old High German nôtig, related to the noun Not (need, distress) and to other German terms for need or hardship. The sense of obligation and requirement expanded over time to include practical necessity in various contexts.

Related terms include notwendig, Notwendigkeit, and Dringlichkeit. Notwendig is more formal or absolute, while Notwendigkeit captures the broader notion of what is required. Nötig remains common in everyday speech to denote practical, situational necessity.