nødig

Nödig is a Swedish adjective that historically and regionally has carried the sense of something being needed, required, or necessary. In contemporary standard Swedish, however, the term is relatively uncommon in everyday speech. Most speakers typically use nödvändig or nödvändigt to express that something is essential or required.

Etymology and related forms: Nödig is built from the noun nöd, meaning need or necessity, with the adjective-forming suffix -ig. This places it in the same semantic field as nödvändig (necessary) and nödvändigt (the neuter form of “necessary”). The noun nöd and related terms such as nödvändighet (necessity) are closely connected in meaning.

Usage and register: Because nödig is less common in modern everyday Swedish, it is often considered formal, old-fashioned, or dialectal. It tends to appear in older texts, in certain literary or ceremonial contexts, or in regional speech. In typical contemporary writing and speech, speakers are more likely to replace it with nödvändig or nödvändigt when they want to convey necessity, or with behövlig or behövas in senses related to “needed.”

Synonyms and contrasts: Nödvändig and nödvändigt are the standard, neutral choices for expressing necessity. Behövlig (needed) is another related term that can be used when emphasizing that something is required for a purpose, though it can carry a slightly different nuance.

See also: Nödvändig, Nödvändigt, Behövlig.