officiella

Officiella is a Swedish adjective form meaning "official." It is used to describe plural nouns in indefinite contexts, for example officiella dokument (official documents), officiella uppgifter (official duties or information), or officiella uttalanden (official statements). In sentences with a definite plural noun, the form remains officiella, while the definite singular form is different (den officiella uppgiften, det officiella dokumentet).

Etymology and origins: officiell derives from Latin officialis and entered Swedish through the influence of French and German, reflecting its connection to authority, designation, and formal status. The word is closely related to concepts of formal approval, duty, and sanctioned conduct.

Usage and nuance: The term is common in government, business, journalism, and law when distinguishing something sanctioned by authority from informal or unofficial alternatives. It appears in contexts ranging from official documents and procedures to official statements and positions. While it primarily denotes legitimacy and formal approval, it does not by itself imply quality or reliability; those judgments depend on context.

Related terms: The opposite or contrasting term is offentligh (public) as in offentlig sektor (public sector). The base adjective officiell has the neuter form officiellt and the definite singular form den officiella or det officiella, depending on gender and number.

See also: official, public sector, authority, document, statement.