An

ICELANDIC GRAMMAR

by Celso Melo
MMVIII

OUTLINES OF GRAMMAR
1. THE DEFINITE ARTICLE SINGULAR masc hinn hinn hinum hins fem hin hina hinni hinnar neuter hi hi hinu hins

nom acc dat gen PLURAL

nom acc dat gen

masc hinir hina hinum hinna

fem hinar hinar hinum hinna

neuter hin hin hinum hinna

1. 1. POSTPOSITIVE USE OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE masculine nom acc dat gen feminine nom acc dat gen neuter nom acc dat gen SINGULAR hjarta hjarta hjartanu hjartans PLURAL hjrtun hjrtun hjrtunum hjartnanna SINGULAR konan konuna konunni konunnar PLURAL konurnar konurnar konunum kvennanna SINGULAR drengurinn drenginn drengnum drengsins PLURAL drengirnir drengina drengjunum drengjanna

2. NOUNS - STRONG NOUNS masculine nom acc dat SINGULAR fiskur fisk fiski PLURAL fiskar fiska fiskum

gen

fiskjar SINGULAR bll bl bl bls

fiska PLURAL blar bla blum bla SINGULAR smiur smi smi smis PLURAL smiir smii smium smia

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

SINGULAR veggur vegg vegg veggs

PLURAL veggir veggi veggjum veggja

nom acc dat gen

SINGULAR hlutur hlut hlut hlutar

PLURAL hlutir hluti hlutum hluta

nom acc dat gen

SINGULAR fjrur fjr firi fjarar

PLURAL firir fjru fjrum fjara

nom acc dat gen

SINGULAR maur mann manni manns

PLURAL menn menn mnnum manna

feminine SINGULAR menning menningu menningu menningar PLURAL menningar menningar menningum menninga SINGULAR eyja eyju eyju eyju PLURAL eyjur eyjur eyjum eyja

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen neuter

SINGULAR t t t tar

PLURAL tr tr tm ta

nom acc dat gen

SINGULAR barn barn barni barns

PLURAL brn brn brnum barna

2. 1. NOUNS - WEAK NOUNS masculine SINGULAR skli skla PLURAL sklar skla SINGULAR nemandi nemanda PLURAL nemendur nemendur

nom acc

nom acc

dat gen feminine

skla skla

sklum skla

dat gen

nemanda nemanda

nemendum nemenda

nom acc dat gen neuter

SINGULAR plata pltu pltu pltu

PLURAL pltur pltur pltum platna

nom acc dat gen

SINGULAR auga auga auga auga

PLURAL augu augu augum augna

3. DECLENSION OF THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS first person (I, we) SINGULAR g mig mr mn PLURAL vi okkur okkur okkar

nom acc dat gen

second person (you) SINGULAR ig r n PLURAL i ykkur ykkur ykkar outdated form of address r yur yur yar

nom acc dat gen

third person (he, they) SINGULAR hann hann honum hans PLURAL eir eim eirra

nom acc dat gen

third person (she, they) SINGULAR hn hana henni hennar PLURAL r r eim eirra

nom acc dat gen

third person (it, they) - au used to refer to a group where are women and men SINGULAR a a v ess PLURAL au au eim eirra

nom acc dat gen

note: au is used to refer to a group where there are men and women, e.g. gr s g Hauk og nnu. au voru a tala vi Jn. (I saw Haukur and Anna yesterday. They were talking to Jn.)

4. DECLENSION OF THE POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS (usually postponed) minn, inn, sinn (my, your, his, her, their) SINGULAR (my) masc minn minn mnum mns fem mn mna minni minnar neuter mitt mitt mnu mns PLURAL (my) masc mnir mna mnum mnna fem mnar mnar mnum mnna neuter mn mn mnum mnna

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

SINGULAR (our) masc vor vorn vorum vors fem vor vora vorri vorrar neuter vort vort voru vors

PLURAL (our) masc vorir vora vorum vorra fem vorar vorar vorum vorra neuter vor vor vorum vorra

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

note #1: The possessive pronouns in Icelandic are usually postponed, e.g. etta er vinurinn minn. (This is my friend.). Note that the definite article may be used when there is a possessive pronoun, which does not occur in English. note #2: The declension of inn and sinn are the same as minn. note #3: The possessive pronouns in Icelandic must agree with the gender of the noun, e.g. Hundurinn minn (my dog; hundur is a masculine noun) Konan mn (my wife; kona is a feminine noun) Hsi mitt (my house; hs is a neuter noun.)

5. DECLENSION OF THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS s = used when referring to distant objects

SINGULAR

PLURAL

nom acc dat gen

masc s ann eim ess

fem s eirri eirrar

neuter a a v ess

nom acc dat gen

masc eir eim eirra

fem r r eim eirra

neuter au au eim eirra

note: S is also used with the meaning of the one. In that case, the adjective must be in the weak form, e.g. S bli (the blue one). essi = when referring to close objects SINGULAR masc essi ennan essum essa fem essi essa essari essarar neuter etta etta essu essa PLURAL masc essir essa essum essara fem essar essar essum essara neuter essi essi essum essara

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

6. DECLENSION OF THE INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS hver = interrogative (who; which; what) / indefinite pronoun (each; every) SINGULAR masc hver hvern hverjum hvers fem hver hverja hverri hverrar neuter hvert / hva hvert / hva hverju hvers PLURAL masc hverjir hverja hverjum hverra fem hverjar hverjar hverjum hverra neuter hver hver hverjum hverra

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

hvor = interrogative (who; which) / indefinite pronoun (each) SINGULAR masc hvor hvorn hvorum hvors fem hvor hvora hvorri hvorrar neuter hvort hvort hvoru hvors PLURAL masc hvorir hvora hvorum hvorra fem hvorar hvorar hvorum hvorra neuter hvor hvor hvorum hvorra

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

7. DECLENSION OF THE INDEFINITE PRONOUNS enginn = no; no one

SINGULAR

PLURAL

nom acc dat gen

masc enginn engan engum einskis

fem engin enga engri engrar

neuter ekkert ekkert engu einskis

nom acc dat gen

masc engir enga engum engra

fem engar engar engum engra

neuter engin engin engum engra

nokkur = any, one, some SINGULAR masc nokkur nokkurn nokkrum nokkurs fem nokkur nokkra nokkurri nokkurrar neuter nokku nokku nokkru nokkurs PLURAL masc nokkrir nokkra nokkrum nokkurra fem nokkrar nokkrar nokkrum nokkurra neuter nokkur nokkur nokkrum nokkurra

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

mis = various SINGULAR masc mis msan msum miss fem mis msa missi missar neuter mist mist msu miss PLURAL masc msir msa msum missa fem msar msar msum missa neuter mis mis msum missa

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

bir = both masc bir ba bum beggja fem bar bar bum beggja neuter bi bi bum beggja

nom acc dat gen

allur = all; every; everybody SINGULAR masc allur allan llum alls fem ll alla allri allrar neuter allt allt llu alls PLURAL masc allir alla llum allra fem allar allar llum allra neuter ll ll llum allra

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

annar = other SINGULAR PLURAL

nom acc dat gen

masc annar annan rum annars

fem nnur ara annarri annarrar

neuter anna anna ru annars

nom acc dat gen

masc arir ara rum annarra

fem arar arar rum annarra

neuter nnur nnur rum annarra

einn = one; a certain SINGULAR masc einn einn einum eins fem ein eina einni einnar neuter eitt eitt einu eins PLURAL masc einir eina einum einna fem einar einar einum einna neuter ein ein einum einna

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

sumur = some

SINGULAR masc sumur suman sumum sums fem sum suma sumri sumrar neuter sumt sumt sumu sums

PLURAL masc sumir suma sumum sumra fem sumar sumar sumum sumra neuter sum sum sumum sumra

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

8. DECLENSION OF THE ADJECTIVES rkur = rich strong declension = used when the definite article comes before the noun SINGULAR masc rkur rkan rkum rks fem rk rka rkri rkrar neuter rkt rkt rku rks PLURAL masc rkir rka rkum rkra fem rkar rkar rkum rkra neuter rk rk rkum rkra

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

weak declension = used when the definite article is postposted SINGULAR masc rki rka rka rka fem rka rku rku rku neuter rka rka rka rka PLURAL masc rku rku rku rku fem rku rku rku rku neuter riku riku riku riku

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

note #1: As well as the possessive pronouns, the adjectives must follow the gender of the noun, e.g. Jn er mjg rkur, en Helga er ekki rk. (Jn is very rich, but Helga is not rich.) note #2: When there is a definite article, then the adjective must be written in the weak form, e.g. Mr lkar vel vi rku konuna. (I like the rich woman.)

8.1. DECLENSION OF THE COMPARATIVE FORM OF ADJECTIVES SINGULAR masc rkari rkari rkari rkari fem rkari rkari rkari rkari neuter rkara rkara rkara rkara PLURAL masc rkari rkari rkari rkari fem rkari rkari rkari rkari neuter rkari rkari rkari rkari

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

note: To use the comparison, you must only write the verb in the comparative form (agreeing with the gender of the noun) plus the conjunction en (than) plus the complement. E.g. Anna er rkari en ris. (Anna is richer than Iris).

8.2. DECLENSION OF THE THE SUPERLATIVE FORM OF ADJECTIVES strong masc rkastur weak masc rkasti fem rkasta neuter rkasta fem rkust neuter rkast

8.3. DECLENSION OF THE COMPARATIVE FORM OF IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES normal gamall gur ltill margur mikill illur slmur vondur comparative superlative eldri betri minni fleiri meiri verri verri verri elstur bestur minnstur flestur mestur verstur verstur verstur

9. ADVERBS 9.1. ADVERBS DERIVED FROM ADJECTIVES By adding the -a suffix to a number of adjectives, we get an adverb. E.g. vejnulegur (usual) becomes venjulega (usually) Such adverbs have comparative forms, just like adjectives: venjulega - venjulegar - venjulegast

9.2. NEUTER ADJECTIVES AS ADVERBS Some adjectives in the neuter form are used directly as adverbs. langt = long, far fljtt = fast seint = late

9.3. SOME ADVERBS OF TIME a eilfu = forever an = a little while ago ur = before vinlega = forever aldrei = never alltaf= always anna veifi = now and then sar = later daglega = daily han fr = from now on stundum = sometimes = then um helgina = over the weekend bili = for the time being br = for a while lengri= for a long time lngu sar = much later n= now oft = often seinna = later sjaldan = seldom skmmu sar = shortly afterwards einu sinnu = once

9.4. SOME ADVERBS OF PLACE a landi = ashore erlendis = abroad fyrir = already han = from here heima = at home hr = here hrlendis = in our country hrna = here hinga = to here hvaan = where from hvar= where hvert = where to inni = inside ofan = above aan = from there anga = to there ar= there arna = there undan = below ti = outside

9.5. SOME ADVERBS OF MANNER AND DEGREE alveg = quite auveldlega = easily rugglega = certainly hvernig = how illa = badly mjg = very nokku = quite; fairly sennilega = probably svo = so svona = thus annig = thus vel = well

9.6. SOME ADVERBS OF CAUSE hvers vegna = why ess vegna = therefore; thats why

9.7. OTHER ADVERBS annars = or else, otherwise ar mti = on the other hand

ekki, eigi, ei = not j = yes j = yes (to deny negative questions) nei = no raunar = really samt = yet sannlega = indeed, really

= however vissulega = certainly

note: Adverbs, when put at the beginning of a sentence, attracts the verb, e.g. N lur mr illa. (Im feeling bad now.)

10. DECLENSION OF NUMBERS einn = one SINGULAR masc einn einn einum eins fem ein einna einni einnar neuter eitt eitt einu eins PLURAL masc einir eina einum einna fem einar einar einum einna neuter ein ein einum einna

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

tveir = two masc tveir tvo tveim/ur tveggja fem tvr tvr tveim/ur tveggja neuter tv tv tveim/ur tveggja

rr = three masc rr rj rem/ur riggja fem rjr rjr rem/ur riggja neuter rj rj rem/ur riggja

nom acc dat gen fjrir = four

nom acc dat gen

nom acc dat gen

masc fjrir fjra fjrum fjgra

fem fjrar fjrar fjrum fjgra

neuter fjgur fjgur fjrum fjgra

note: As well as adjectives and possessive pronouns, the numerals must follow the gender of the noun, e.g Okkur langar a eiga tv brn. (We want to have two children.)

11. VERBS 11.1. IRREGULAR (STRONG) VERBS We may group irregular (strong) verbs into six general types, differentiated by changes in the vowel.

type 1: bta bta = to bite: bta beit biti - bitinn imperative: bttu, bti

g hann vi i eir type 2: bja

pres indic bt btur btur btum bti bta

pres subj bti btir bti btum bti bti

past indic beit beitst beit bitum bitu bitu

past subj biti bitir biti bitum bitu bitu

bja = to offer: bja bau buum - boi Imperative: bjddu, bji pres indic b bur bur bjum bji bja pres subj bji bjir bji bjum bji bji past indic bau baust bau buum buu buu past subj byi byir byi byum byu byu

g hann vi i eir

type 3: bresta bresta = to burst: bresta brast brustum - brosti Imperative: brestu , brustu pres indic brest brestur brestur brestum bresti bresta pres subj bresti brestir bresti brestum bresti bresti past indic brast brast brast brustum brustu brustu past subj brysti brystir brysti brystum brystu brystu

g hann vi i eir

type 4: bera bera = to carry: bera bar brum - bori Imperative: beru, beri pres indic ber ber ber berum beri bera pres subj beri berir beri berum beri beri past indic bar barst bar brum bru bru past subj bri brir bri brum bru bru

g hann vi i eir type 5: taka

taka = to take: taka tk tkum - teki Imperative: taktu , taki

g hann vi i eir type 6: grta

pres indic tek tekur tekur tkum taki taka

pres subj taki takir taki tkum taki taki

past indic tk tkst tk tkum tku tku

past subj tki tkir tki tkjum tkju tkju

grta = to cry: grta - grt - grtum - grti Imperative: grttu, grti pres indic grt grtur grtur grtum grti grta pres subj grti grtir grti grtum grti grti past indic grt grst grt grtum grtu grtu past subj grti grtir grti grtum grtu grtu

g hann vi i eir

11.2. REGULAR (WEAK) VERBS We may divide the regular (weak) verbs into four groups on the basis of their present stem: group 1 weak verbs: telja telja = to count: tel taldi - tldum - talinn/taldur spyrja = to ask: spyr spuri spurum - spurur flja = to flee: fl fli - flum - flinn group 2 weak verbs: dma dma = to judge: dmi dmdi dmdum - dmdur skkva = to sink (transitive): skkvi skkti skktum - skktur group 3 weak verbs: lifa lifa = to live: lifi lifi lifum - lifur segja = to say: segi sagi - sgum - sagur vaka = to be awake: vaki vakti - vktum - vakinn/vaktur group 4 weak verbs: kalla kalla = to call: kalla - kallai klluum - kallaur hrga = to gladden: hrga - hrgai - hrguum - hrgaur

11.3. THE PASSIVE VOICE The passive voice is formed using vera or vera plus the Past Participle. For example, kalla = to call: g er kallaur. = I am called. g var kallaur. = I was called. The preposition by is translated as af in passive voice constructs: etta var gert af konu. (This was done by a woman).

11.4. THE MIDDLE VOICE The middle voice is formed by the addition of the ending =st to the active verb and has three main uses: 1. 2. 3. 4. The reflexive use: Hn afklist fljtt = Hn afkli sig fljtt. The reciprocal use: Vi tlum vi hvorn annan = Vi tlumst. The passive use: Hann kallast = Hann er kallaur. The inchoative use: Sara er a hressast. = Sara er a vera hress.

11.5. IMPERSONAL VERBS Certain verbs are used only in the third person singular, and usually refer to natural events e.g. a rignir = its raining. Certain impersonal verbs are used with the accusative personal pronoun: Mig langar a sj ig. = I want to see you. Mr lkar vel vi stu. = I like sta very much. Finnst r myndin g? = Do you find the film good? Hauki lur svo illa dag. = Haukur is feeling so bad today. As seen above, some of the impersonal verbs govern the dative, while other govern the accusative.

12. PREPOSITIONS 12.1. PREPOSITIONS GOVERNING THE ACCUSATIVE fyrir ofan = above gegnum = through kringum = round, around um = about, around; across; during, by umfram = above, beyond umhverfis = around

12.2. PREPOSITIONS GOVERNING THE DATIVE a = to, upto, at af = of, from, by, off andspnis = directly opposite samt = together with fr = from gegnt = against gagnvart = opposite gegnt = opposite to handa = for, to hj = with, by, near mefram = along mt/mti = against, opposite nlgt = near to undan = from under r = from, out of

12.3. PREPOSITIONS GOVERNING THE ACCUSATIVE OR DATIVE = on, at, in, of eftir = after, by, behind fyrir = for, before, in front of = in, at me = with undir = under vi = at, against, by, near yfir = above, over, across

12.4. PREPOSITIONS GOVERNING THE GENITIVE n = without auk = besides innan = inside, within meal = among megin = on the side of milli = between nean = below ofan = above sakir = on account of skum = on account of til = to, till, for utan = outside vegna = on account of

13. CONJUNCTIONS 13.1. COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS og = and en = but enda = but; even ea = or bi ... og ... = both ... and ... hvorki ... n ... = neither ... nor ... hvort ... ea ... = whether ... or ... annahvort ... ea ... = either ... or ...

13.2. SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS (af) v a = because fyrir v a = as, because r v a = since, seeing that skum ess a = since vegna ess a = as, because of, owing to the fact that ar sem = since, as fyrst = since, as ef = if nema = unless svo framarlega sem = provided that, on condition that svo a = so that a = that a = though, although tt = although, notwithstanding enda tt = although, even if rtt fyrir a a = in spite of the fact that til ess a = in order to til a = (so) that svo a = (so) that til ess a ekki = lest, for fear that eins og = as, like og = as heldur en = than svo sem = as sem = as v ... v ... = the ... the ... egar = when san = since ur en = before undireins og = as soon as () mean = while strax og = as soon as eftir a = after um lei og = at the same time as egar er = as soon as anga til a = till, until ar til er = till, until fyrr en = before jafnskjtt sem ... = as soon as ..., the moment ... er = when ar en = no sooner ... than ar sem = where

anga sem = where, whither hvert sem = wherever

hvar sem = wherever hvert er = wherever