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obligatorisch
mandatory
Required by a rule, law, or regulation; compulsory.
example
Die Teilnahme am Sicherheitstraining ist für alle neuen Mitarbeiter obligatorisch.
Participation in the safety training is mandatory for all new employees.
obligatorisch
mandatory
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Meanings
Usage tips
Register and style
'Obligatorisch' (mandatory) is a formal, official word. You mainly find it in regulations, contracts, study regulations, or official notices.
EXAMPLE
In vielen Ländern ist eine Krankenversicherung obligatorisch.
In many countries, health insurance is mandatory.
Sentence structure and usage
The adjective is very often used with the verb 'sein' (to be) predicatively. To express for whom something is mandatory, the preposition 'für' (for) with the accusative is used.
EXAMPLE
Das Tragen eines Helms ist für alle Radfahrer auf dem Werksgelände obligatorisch.
Wearing a helmet is mandatory for all cyclists on the company premises.
Typical collocations
Common nouns used with 'obligatorisch' (mandatory) are 'Teilnahme' (participation), 'Kurs' (course), 'Fach' (subject, in school/university), or 'Prüfung' (exam).
EXAMPLE
Der Erste-Hilfe-Kurs ist ein obligatorischer Teil der Führerscheinausbildung.
The first-aid course is a mandatory part of driving-license training.
Compare with
obligatorisch vs notwendig
necessary
'notwendig' and 'obligatorisch' both say that you cannot simply leave something out. The difference is the reason. 'notwendig' means: something is really needed for a goal or situation. 'obligatorisch' means: a rule, regulation, or law requires it. Learners may confuse the words because both sound like 'you have to'. So ask yourself: Do you have to do it because of the situation itself? Then use 'notwendig'. Do you have to do it because of a rule? Then use 'obligatorisch'.
obligatorisch
Bei der Prüfung ist ein Ausweis obligatorisch.
An ID is mandatory for the exam.
notwendig
Beim Training ist gutes Aufwärmen notwendig, damit sich niemand verletzt.
In training, warming up properly is necessary so that no one gets injured.
In real life
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