obbligatori

Obbligatori is the masculine plural form of the Italian adjective obbligatorio, meaning mandatory or compulsory. The term is used to designate items, conditions, or actions that must be complied with and are not optional. In everyday and formal Italian, phrases such as documenti obbligatori (mandatory documents) or requisiti obbligatori (mandatory requirements) are common across administrative, legal, and organizational contexts.

Etymology and grammar: The word comes from Latin obligatus, from obligare “to bind.” The adjective agrees with the noun it modifies: singular forms are obbligatorio (masculine) and obbligatoria (feminine); plural forms are obbligatori (masculine) and obbligatorie (feminine).

Usage notes: Obbligatori contrasts with opzionale or facoltativo (optional). It is used with masculine nouns or when the gender is implicit in a general statement. In law and public administration, it frequently appears in phrases describing legal requirements, health and safety rules, and enrollment or access conditions. Examples include: “I campi obbligatori” (the mandatory fields), “Questi documenti sono obbligatori per l’iscrizione” (these documents are mandatory for enrollment), and “Il requisito è obbligatorio” (the requirement is mandatory).

Cross-linguistic context: The concept corresponds to the English “mandatory” and to cognates in other Romance languages, such as obligatorio in Spanish or obligatoire in French. The plural form obbligatori is most commonly encountered in reference to multiple mandatory items or requirements.

See also: Obligatorio vs obbligatorio, obbligatorietà.