velvollisuutta

Velvollisuutta is the partitive form of velvollisuus, a Finnish noun meaning obligation, duty or responsibility. The term refers to something a person or an entity is morally, legally or contractually bound to do. In practice, velvollisuus can be understood as a set of duties that guide behavior in society.

Velvollisuus can be categorized in several ways. Moral velvollisuus arises from personal values and social norms, such as telling the truth or helping others. Legal velvollisuus is defined by statutes and regulations, for example paying taxes (verovelvollisuus), following traffic laws, or fulfilling other statutory duties. Contractual velvollisuus emerges from agreements between parties, such as duties specified in a contract or employment terms. Civic and family velvollisuus covers responsibilities related to citizenship or relatives, such as huoltovelvollisuus (supporting dependents) or other duties recognized in social practice.

In Finnish discourse, velvollisuutta appears in various contexts, from formal legal language to everyday discussion about responsibilities. It can describe ongoing obligations, such as a person’s duty to care for dependents, or temporary duties linked to a specific situation. The concept is closely tied to the phrase velvollisuuttaan (one’s own obligation) and is commonly expressed with verbs such as täyttää velvollisuuttaan (to fulfill one’s obligation) or kantaa velvollisuutta (to bear a duty).

Etymologically, velvollisuus stems from the verb velvoittaa, meaning to obligate or bind, and has been used in Finnish for centuries to denote binding duties within law, ethics and social life.