obligatoriske

Obligatoriske is an adjective used in Norwegian to describe something that is required by rules, regulations, policies, or contractual agreements, and therefore must be fulfilled. It is typically applied to tasks, courses, requirements, or documents that are not optional but necessary for a given purpose or process. The form obligatori-ske appears when describing plural nouns, as in “de obligatoriske kursene” or “obligatoriske krav.”

In use, the term is common in education, workplaces, and public administration. Examples include obligtoriske fag or kurs in a curriculum, obligtoriske krav for obtaining a license, and obligatorisk opplæring in safety or compliance programs. The precise scope of what is “obligatorisk” is defined by governing rules, institutional policies, or statutory provisions, and can vary between countries, organizations, and contexts.

Etymology and linguistic notes: the word comes from the Latin obligare, meaning to bind, and entered Scandinavian languages via historical usage that led to terms like obligatorisk. In Norwegian, obligatoriske is the plural form used with plural nouns (e.g., “obligatoriske oppgaver,” “obligatoriske kurs”), while the singular form is obligatorisk, used with singular nouns (e.g., “et obligatorisk kurs”). The term is often contrasted with frivillig or valgfri, which denote things that are optional or elective.

See also: mandatory, required, compulsory, statutory.