olaglig

Olaglig is a Swedish adjective meaning not in accordance with the law; illegal. It is used to describe actions, practices, or situations that violate statutes, regulations, or legal norms. The term can refer to criminal acts as well as to non-criminal but prohibited conduct.

Etymology and form: Olaglig is formed by adding the negating prefix o- to laglig (lawful). The root lag refers to law, while the suffix -lig forms adjectives meaning "having the quality of." The adverb form is olagligt.

Usage and context: In everyday language and in legal writing, olaglig describes conduct that falls outside what the law permits. It can be used with nouns such as olaglig handel (illegal trade), olaglig byggverksamhet (illegal construction activity), or olaglig invandring (illegal immigration). Some acts may be illegal but not criminal and thus involve administrative penalties or regulatory sanctions rather than criminal charges.

Nuance: In Swedish law, legality is defined by statutes and regulatory rules. What is olagligt under one jurisdiction may differ in another, and the term expresses a normative judgment about compliance rather than a single legal category. The related noun form olaglighet is used to refer to the quality or state of illegality.

See also: laglig (lawful) and laglighet or legality terms used to contrast with illegality. The word olaglig is common in media, politics, and legal commentary to label activities that breach the law.