Language/Icelandic/Grammar/Verbs

Verbs in Icelandic

In the Icelandic language, verbs are conjugated based on several factors, including tense, mood, person, number, and voice. These factors come together to create a rich and complex grammatical structure that allows for diverse and expressive communication. Mastering Icelandic verb conjugation requires understanding the various elements that influence a verb's form and how they interact with one another.

• Other lessons: Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Negation, How to Use Be & Adjectives.

Person and Number:

The verb can be conjugated according to the person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) and number (singular or plural).

• 1st person singular: Ég les (I read)
• 2nd person singular: Þú lest (You read)
• 3rd person singular: Hann/hún/það les (He/she/it reads)
• 1st person plural: Við lesum (We read)
• 2nd person plural: Þið lesið (You all read)
• 3rd person plural: Þeir/þær/þau lesa (They read)

Voices in Icelandic

Icelandic has three distinct voices: active, passive, and middle (or medial). Active voice is when the subject of the sentence performs the action, while passive voice is when the subject receives the action. The middle voice, however, is more complex and unique to Icelandic. It may be debated whether the middle voice should be considered a separate voice or classified as an independent class of verbs. The transformation of meaning in middle voice verbs can be so significant that it becomes difficult to perceive them as different voices of the same verb, which contributes to the debate surrounding its classification.

Examples:

• Active: Ég les bókina (I read the book)
• Passive: Bókin er lesin af mér (The book is read by me)
• Middle: Ég lesst (I read for myself / I engage in reading)

Moods in Icelandic

Icelandic features four moods: indicative, imperative, conditional, and subjunctive. The indicative mood is used for making statements or asking questions, while the imperative mood is used for giving commands or making requests. The conditional mood expresses hypothetical situations or events that are dependent on certain conditions. Lastly, the subjunctive mood is employed for expressing desires, doubts, or hypothetical situations. Each mood serves a unique function in the language and helps to convey the intended meaning of a sentence.

Examples:

The verb can be conjugated in indicative, imperative, conditional, and subjunctive moods.

• Indicative: Ég les (I read)
• Imperative: Lesðu! (Read!)
• Conditional: Ég myndi lesa (I would read)
• Subjunctive: Ég myndi lesi (If I were to read)

Tenses in Icelandic

Icelandic has only two simple tenses: simple present and simple past. All other tenses are created using auxiliary constructions, which involve combining a main verb with one or more auxiliary verbs. Some of these constructions are considered tenses, while others are regarded as aspects, which indicate whether an action is ongoing, completed, or repeated. Understanding the distinction between simple tenses and auxiliary constructions is essential for accurately conveying the desired time frame of an action or event in Icelandic.

Examples:

The verb can be conjugated in the simple present and simple past tenses.

• Present: Ég les (I read)
• Past: Ég las (I read / I have read)

Word Order in Icelandic

The basic word order in Icelandic is subject-verb-object (SVO). However, due to the language's heavy inflection, word order can be quite flexible. This flexibility allows for various combinations, especially in poetry, such as SVO, SOV, VSO, VOS, OSV, and OVS. These variations are permitted for metrical purposes, enabling poets and writers to create a wide range of rhythmic and stylistic effects in their works.

Examples:

Here are some examples of different word order combinations in Icelandic:

1. SVO (Subject-Verb-Object): Ég les bókina (I read the book)
2. SOV (Subject-Object-Verb): Ég bókina les (I the book read)
3. VSO (Verb-Subject-Object): Les ég bókina (Read I the book)
4. VOS (Verb-Object-Subject): Les bókina ég (Read the book I)
5. OSV (Object-Subject-Verb): Bókina ég les (The book I read)
6. OVS (Object-Verb-Subject): Bókina les ég (The book read I)

It is essential to note that while these variations can occur in poetry or for stylistic purposes, the most common and natural word order in Icelandic remains SVO for everyday speech and writing. The flexible word order should be used cautiously to avoid confusion or miscommunication.

V2 Word Order Constraint

Like many Germanic languages, Icelandic typically adheres to the V2 word order constraint. This means that the conjugated verb in Icelandic often appears as the second element in a clause, preceded by the word or phrase being emphasized. Adhering to the V2 word order helps maintain clarity and comprehension within the language, as it ensures that the most important information in a sentence is easily identifiable. Despite the flexibility in word order, the V2 constraint provides structure and consistency in Icelandic sentence construction.

Examples:

Here are some examples of the V2 word order constraint in Icelandic:

1. Basic SVO structure: Ég les bókina (I read the book)
   • In this simple sentence, the verb "les" (read) is the second element.
2. Adverb placement: Stundum les ég bókina (Sometimes I read the book)
   • The adverb "stundum" (sometimes) takes the first position, followed by the verb "les" (read) as the second element.
3. Question: Af hverju les ég bókina? (Why do I read the book?)
   • The question word "af hverju" (why) takes the first position, followed by the verb "les" (read) as the second element.
4. Subordinate clause: Ég segi þér að ég les bókina (I tell you that I read the book)
   • In the subordinate clause "að ég les bókina" (that I read the book), the verb "les" (read) is the second element.
5. Topicalization: Bókina les ég (The book, I read)
   • The object "bókina" (the book) takes the first position for emphasis, followed by the verb "les" (read) as the second element.

Despite the flexibility in word order, the V2 constraint provides structure and consistency in Icelandic sentence construction, ensuring that the conjugated verb remains easily identifiable and comprehension is maintained.

Sources

Book: Learn to Speak Icelandic: without even trying, Stephen Hernandez

Other Lessons

• Articles
• Adverbs
• Questions
• Definite Article
• Pronouns
• Prepositions
• Prepostitions
• Plurals
• Nouns
• Icelandic Articles
• Gender
• Conditional Mood
• Adjectives
• Negation