skäliga

Skäliga is the plural form of the Swedish adjective skälig, meaning reasonable, justified, or appropriate. It is used to describe plural nouns or definite plural noun phrases, for example skäliga kostnader (reasonable costs) and skäliga priser (reasonable prices). In definite plural phrases the form becomes de skäliga kostnaderna or de skäliga priserna.

The adjective follows standard Swedish agreement rules, changing form to reflect number and definiteness in other contexts. For example, in singular forms you would encounter en skälig kostnad (a reasonable cost) or det skäliga priset (the reasonable price), illustrating how skälig behaves differently in singular versus plural.

Etymology traces skälig to the root skäl, meaning reason or motive, with the suffix -ig to form an adjective meaning having the quality of reason or justification. The sense is that something is supported by reason or is justifiable.

Usage notes and nuance: skälig is common in formal, administrative, and legal language, and it often appears in discussions of costs, demands, or standards. It is close in meaning to rimlig, but skälig can carry a slightly stronger emphasis on justification or legitimacy in a given context. In everyday speech, rimlig may be more common, while skälig is frequently preferred in policymaking, contract language, and professional writing.

See also: skäl (reason), rimlig (reasonable), skälighet (reasonableness).