Breakdown of L'obbligo di rispettare questa norma è rigoroso.
essere
to be
questo
this (masculine)
rispettare
to respect
di
to (linking a verb to a following infinitive)
l'obbligo
the obligation
la norma
the norm / the rule
rigoroso
strict / rigorous (exact, thorough)
Questions & Answers about L'obbligo di rispettare questa norma è rigoroso.
Why is there a di between obbligo and rispettare?
When an Italian noun (like obbligo) is followed by an infinitive verb (like rispettare) to explain what the noun refers to, they are almost always connected by the preposition di. You will see this pattern constantly, such as in il bisogno di dormire (the need to sleep) or la paura di sbagliare (the fear of making a mistake).
The verb is obbligare a (to force/oblige to), so why does the noun form take di?
This is a great catch! While the verb takes a (obbligare qualcuno a fare qualcosa), nouns essentially default to di when introducing an infinitive. It is very common for the preposition to change when moving from a verb to its related noun. Another classic example is abituarsi a (to get used to) becoming l'abitudine di (the habit of).
Could I use regola instead of norma here?
Yes, regola (rule) would be perfectly understood. However, norma is more formal and is often used for official regulations, legal standards, or institutional codes. It fits perfectly with formal, administrative words like obbligo (obligation).
Does rigoroso mean exactly the same thing as severo?
They both translate to "strict", but they have slightly different flavors. Severo usually describes a person or a punishment that is harsh, stern, or unforgiving (like a strict teacher). Rigoroso, on the other hand, describes rules, methods, or standards that require exact, inflexible compliance. Since we are talking about a norm, rigoroso is the most natural choice.
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