i enlighet med
In Accordance with
A formal way to say 'according to' or 'in line with' a rule, law, or agreement.
How It Works
The expression i enlighet med is a formal prepositional phrase that translates to 'in accordance with', 'in compliance with', or 'pursuant to'. It is primarily used in written language, especially in legal, administrative, and business contexts.
It establishes a clear link between an action and a set of rules, regulations, laws, agreements, or instructions that govern that action. The structure is straightforward:
- Action + i enlighet med + The Rule/Standard
Common nouns that follow this phrase include:
- lagen (the law)
- avtalet (the agreement)
- policyn (the policy)
- instruktionerna (the instructions)
- föreskrifterna (the regulations)
While similar to enligt ('according to'), i enlighet med emphasizes conformity or agreement. This may involve a binding rule, but can also concern a plan or wish. Enligt can likewise express conformity, and additionally introduces an information source: enligt min pappa (according to my dad). This phrase is a key component of formal Swedish.
Position In The Sentence
The phrase can come first: I enlighet med planen börjar vi på måndag (In accordance with the plan, we start on Monday). As an initial constituent, it is followed by the finite verb in the ordinary declarative V2 pattern. The phrase itself asserts agreement with the plan; it does not tell you whether following the plan is legally required.
Examples (5)
- Beslutet fattades i enlighet med gällande lagstiftning.
The decision was made in accordance with current legislation.
Word by Word: The decision was made in accordance with current legislation.
- Alla anställda måste agera i enlighet med företagets policy.
All employees must act in accordance with the company's policy.
Word by Word: All employees must act in accordance with the company's policy.
- Produkten måste installeras i enlighet med de medföljande instruktionerna.
The product must be installed in accordance with the accompanying instructions.
Word by Word: The product must be installed in accordance with the accompanying instructions.
- Vi behandlar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med dataskyddsförordningen (GDPR).
We process your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Word by Word: We process your personal data in accordance with the data protection regulation (GDPR).
- Revisionen genomfördes i enlighet med god redovisningssed.
The audit was conducted in accordance with good accounting practice.
Word by Word: The audit was conducted in accordance with good accounting practice.
Common Mistakes
Using conformity wording when you mean according to a source.
I enlighet med min pappa är filmen jättebra. (Intended: My dad says the film is great.)Enligt min pappa är filmen jättebra.The issue is meaning, not a ban on informal contexts.
Enligt min pappaattributes an opinion to your dad.I enlighet med min pappas önskemålcan be appropriate when something follows his wishes.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'i enlighet med' (in accordance with), you need to be familiar with the basic prepositions 'i' and 'med' which frame the expression. Additionally, recognizing the abstract noun suffix '-het' helps in identifying 'enlighet' as the formal noun 'accordance' or 'conformity'.
- medWith
The phrase 'i enlighet med' is a complex prepositional phrase that ends with the preposition 'med', which governs the following noun or pronoun.
Level 1 - iIn
The phrase begins with the preposition 'i', which is a core component of this formal expression.
Level 1 - -hetAbstract Noun Suffix
The word 'enlighet' is an abstract noun formed using the suffix '-het'. Understanding how adjectives are turned into formal nouns is essential for recognizing the structure of this phrase.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- enligtAccording to
Both can express conformity. Enligt also introduces a source of information, while i enlighet med foregrounds agreement with a rule, plan, wish, or other basis; it does not inherently impose legal obligation.
Level 4 - på grund avBecause Of/due to
I enlighet med describes conformity; på grund av supplies a cause or reason. Neither the subject matter nor the degree of formality alone determines which meaning is intended.
Level 4 - i samband medIn Connection with
Another formal phrase often found in similar contexts. 'i enlighet med' indicates compliance, while 'i samband med' (in connection with) indicates a temporal or contextual link between two events or things.
Level 4 - Academic/legal register
'i enlighet med' is a hallmark of formal written Swedish (kanslisvenska). Understanding this phrase is key to understanding and producing formal texts.
Level 6 - med avseende påWith Regard to
This phrase, meaning 'with regard to', is another formal expression. It's related because both are used to structure formal arguments. 'i enlighet med' provides the governing principle, while 'med avseende på' specifies the topic being discussed.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice i enlighet med in Bubblegum
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