an icelandic grammar by celso_melo

8/3/2019 An Icelandic Grammar by Celso_Melo

1/16

An

ICELANDIC GRAMMAR

by Celso MeloMMVIII


2/16

OUTLINES OF GRAMMAR

1. THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

SINGULAR

masc fem neuter

nom hinn hin hiacc hinn hina hidat hinum hinni hinugen hins hinnar hins

PLURAL

masc fem neuter

nom hinir hinar hinacc hina hinar hindat hinum hinum hinumgen hinna hinna hinna

1. 1. POSTPOSITIVE USE OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

masculine

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom drengurinn drengirnir

acc drenginn drenginadat drengnum drengjunumgen drengsins drengjanna

feminine

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom konan konurnaracc konuna konurnardat konunni konunumgen konunnar kvennanna

neuterSINGULAR PLURAL

nom hjarta hjrtunacc hjarta hjrtundat hjartanu hjrtunumgen hjartans hjartnanna

2. NOUNS - STRONG NOUNS

masculine

SINGULAR PLURALnom fiskur fiskaracc fisk fiskadat fiski fiskum


3/16

gen fiskjar fiska

SINGULAR PLURAL SINGULAR PLURAL

nom bll blar nom smiur smiiracc bl bla acc smi smiidat bl blum dat smi smiumgen bls bla gen smis smia


nom veggur veggir nom hlutur hlutiracc vegg veggi acc hlut hlutidat vegg veggjum dat hlut hlutumgen veggs veggja gen hlutar hluta


nom fjrur firir nom maur menn

acc fjr fjru acc mann menndat firi fjrum dat manni mnnumgen fjarar fjara gen manns manna

feminine


nom menning menningar nom eyja eyjuracc menningu menningar acc eyju eyjurdat menningu menningum dat eyju eyjum

gen menningar menninga gen eyju eyja

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom t tracc t trdat t tmgen tar ta

neuter

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom barn brnacc barn brndat barni brnumgen barns barna

2. 1. NOUNS - WEAK NOUNS

masculine


nom skli sklar nom nemandi nemenduracc skla skla acc nemanda nemendur


4/16

dat skla sklum dat nemanda nemendumgen skla skla gen nemanda nemenda

feminine

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom plata pltur

acc pltu plturdat pltu pltumgen pltu platna

neuter

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom auga auguacc auga augudat auga augumgen auga augna

3. DECLENSION OF THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS

first person (I, we)

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom g viacc mig okkurdat mr okkurgen mn okkar

second person (you)

SINGULAR PLURAL outdated form of address

nom i racc ig ykkur yurdat r ykkur yurgen n ykkar yar

third person (he, they)

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom hann eiracc hann dat honum eimgen hans eirra

third person (she, they)

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom hn r

acc hana rdat henni eimgen hennar eirra


5/16

third person (it, they) -au used to refer to a group where are women and men

SINGULAR PLURAL

nom a auacc a audat v eimgen ess eirra

note:au is used to refer to a group where there are men and women, e.g. gr s g Hauk og nnu. au vorua 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) PLURAL (my)

masc fem neuter masc fem neuternom minn mn mitt nom mnir mnar mnacc minn mna mitt acc mna mnar mndat mnum minni mnu dat mnum mnum mnumgen mns minnar mns gen mnna mnna mnna

SINGULAR (our) PLURAL (our)

masc fem neuter masc fem neuter

nom vor vor vort nom vorir vorar vor

acc vorn vora vort acc vora vorar vordat vorum vorri voru dat vorum vorum vorumgen vors vorrar vors gen vorra vorra vorra

note #1: The possessive pronouns in Icelandic are usually postponed, e.g. etta er vinurinn minn. (This is myfriend.). Note that the definite article may be used when there is a possessive pronoun, which does not occur inEnglish.

note #2: The declension ofinn 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; hunduris a masculine noun) Konan mn(my wife; kona is a feminine noun) Hsimitt(my house;hs is a neuter noun.)

5. DECLENSION OF THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS

s= used when referring to distant objects

SINGULAR PLURAL


6/16


nom s s a nom eir r auacc ann aacc r audat eim eirri v dat eim eim eimgen ess eirrar ess gen eirra eirra 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 PLURAL


nom essi essi ettanom essir essar essiacc ennan essa etta acc essa essar essidat essum essari essu dat essum essum essumgen essa essarar essa gen essara essara essara

6. DECLENSION OF THE INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS

hver= interrogative (who; which; what) / indefinite pronoun (each; every)

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom hver hver hvert / hva nom hverjir hverjar hver

acc hvern hverja hvert / hva acc hverja hverjar hverdat hverjum hverri hverju dat hverjum hverjum hverjumgen hvers hverrar hvers gen hverra hverra hverra

hvor=interrogative (who; which) / indefinite pronoun (each)

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom hvor hvor hvort nom hvorir hvorar hvoracc hvorn hvora hvort acc hvora hvorar hvordat hvorum hvorri hvoru dat hvorum hvorum hvorumgen hvors hvorrar hvors gen hvorra hvorra hvorra

7. DECLENSION OF THE INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

enginn= no; no one

SINGULAR PLURAL


7/16


nom enginn engin ekkert nom engir engar enginacc engan enga ekkert acc enga engar engindat engum engri engu dat engum engum engumgen einskis engrar einskis gen engra engra engra

nokkur= any, one, some

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom nokkur nokkur nokku nom nokkrir nokkrar nokkuracc nokkurn nokkra nokku acc nokkra nokkrar nokkurdat nokkrum nokkurri nokkru dat nokkrum nokkrum nokkrumgen nokkurs nokkurrar nokkurs gen nokkurra nokkurra nokkurra

mis = various

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom mis mis mist nom msir msar misacc msan msa mist acc msa msar misdat msum missi msu dat msum msum msumgen miss missar miss gen missa missa missa

bir = both

masc fem neuter

nom bir bar biacc ba bar bidat bum bum bumgen beggja beggja beggja

allur= all; every; everybody

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom allur ll allt nom allir allar llacc allan alla allt acc alla allar lldat llum allri llu dat llum llum llumgen alls allrar alls gen allra allra allra

annar= other

SINGULAR PLURAL


8/16


nom annar nnur anna nom arir arar nnuracc annan ara anna acc ara arar nnurdat rum annarri ru dat rum rum rumgen annars annarrar annars gen annarra annarra annarra

einn = one; a certain

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom einn ein eitt nom einir einar einacc einn eina eitt acc eina einar eindat einum einni einu dat einum einum einumgen eins einnar eins gen einna einna einna

sumur= some

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom sumur sum sumt nom sumir sumar sumacc suman suma sumt acc suma sumar sumdat sumum sumri sumu dat sumum sumum sumumgen sums sumrar sums gen sumra sumra sumra

8. DECLENSION OF THE ADJECTIVES

rkur= rich

strong declension = used when the definite article comes before the noun

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom rkur rk rkt nom rkir rkar rkacc rkan rka rkt acc rka rkar rkdat rkum rkri rku dat rkum rkum rkumgen rks rkrar rks gen rkra rkra rkra

weak declension = used when the definite article is postposted

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom rki rka rka nom rku rku rikuacc rka rku rka acc rku rku rikudat rka rku rka dat rku rku rikugen rka rku rka gen rku rku riku


9/16

note #1: As well as the possessive pronouns, the adjectives must follow the gender of the noun, e.g. Jn ermjg 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 velvi rku konuna. (I like the rich woman.)

8.1. DECLENSION OF THE COMPARATIVE FORM OF ADJECTIVES

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom rkari rkari rkara nom rkari rkari rkariacc rkari rkari rkara acc rkari rkari rkaridat rkari rkari rkara dat rkari rkari rkarigen rkari rkari rkara gen rkari rkari rkari

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 thanIris).

8.2. DECLENSION OF THE THE SUPERLATIVE FORM OF ADJECTIVES

strong

masc fem neuter

rkastur rkust rkastweak

masc fem neuter

rkasti rkasta rkasta

8.3. DECLENSION OF THE COMPARATIVE FORM OF IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES

normal comparative superlative

gamall eldri elsturgur betri besturltill minni minnsturmargur fleiri flestur

mikill meiri mesturillur verri versturslmur verri versturvondur verri 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


10/16

9.2. NEUTER ADJECTIVES AS ADVERBS

Some adjectives in the neuter form are used directly as adverbs.

langt= long, far seint= latefljtt= fast

9.3. SOME ADVERBS OF TIME

a eilfu = forever bili= for the time beingan = a little while ago br= for a whileur= before lengri= for a long timevinlega = forever lngu sar= much lateraldrei= never n= nowalltaf= always oft= oftenanna veifi= now and then seinna = latersar= later sjaldan = seldomdaglega = daily skmmu sar= shortly afterwards

han fr = from now on einu sinnu = oncestundum = sometimes

= thenum helgina = over the weekend

9.4. SOME ADVERBS OF PLACE

a landi = ashore hvert= where toerlendis = abroad inni = inside

fyrir= already ofan = abovehan = from here aan = from there

heima = at home anga= to therehr= here ar= therehrlendis = in our country arna = therehrna = here undan = belowhinga= to here ti= outsidehvaan= where fromhvar= where

9.5. SOME ADVERBS OF MANNER AND DEGREE

alveg = quite sennilega = probably

auveldlega = easily svo = sorugglega = certainly svona = thushvernig= how annig = thusilla = badly vel = wellmjg = verynokku= quite; fairly

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


11/16

ekki, eigi, ei= not = howeverj = yes vissulega = certainlyj = yes (to deny negative questions)nei= noraunar= reallysamt = yetsannlega = indeed, really

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

10. DECLENSION OF NUMBERS

einn = one

SINGULAR PLURAL


nom einn ein eitt nom einir einar einacc einn einna eitt acc eina einar eindat einum einni einu dat einum einum einumgen eins einnar eins gen einna einna einna

tveir = two rr = three


nom tveir tvr tv nom rr rjr rjacc tvo tvr tv acc rj rjr rj

dat tveim/ur tveim/ur tveim/ur dat rem/ur rem/ur rem/urgen tveggja tveggja tveggja gen riggja riggja riggja

fjrir = four

masc fem neuter

nom fjrir fjrar fjguracc fjra fjrar fjgurdat fjrum fjrum fjrumgen fjgra fjgra fjgra

note: As well as adjectives and possessive pronouns, the numerals must follow the gender of the noun, e.gOkkur 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 - bitinnimperative: bttu, bti


12/16

pres indic pres subj past indic past subj

g bt bti beit biti btur btir beitst bitirhann btur bti beit bitivi btum btum bitum bitumi bti bti bitu bitu

eir bta bti bitu bitu

type 2: bja

bja = to offer: bja bau buum - boiImperative: bjddu, bji


g b bji bau byi bur bjir baust byirhann bur bji bau byi

vi bjum bjum buum byumi bji bji buu byueir bja bji buu byu

type 3: bresta

bresta = to burst: bresta brast brustum - brostiImperative: brestu , brustu


g brest bresti brast brysti

brestur brestir brast brystirhann brestur bresti brast brystivi brestum brestum brustum brystumi bresti bresti brustu brystueir bresta bresti brustu brystu

type 4: bera

bera = to carry: bera bar brum - boriImperative: beru, beri


g ber beri bar bri ber berir barst brirhann ber beri bar brivi berum berum brum brumi beri beri bru brueir bera beri bru bru

type 5: taka

taka = to take: taka tk tkum - tekiImperative: taktu , taki


13/16


g tek taki tk tki tekur takir tkst tkirhann tekur taki tk tkivi tkum tkum tkum tkjumi taki taki tku tkjueir taka taki tku tkju

type 6: grta

grta = to cry: grta - grt - grtum - grtiImperative: grttu, grti


g grt grti grt grti grtur grtir grst grtirhann grtur grti grt grtivi grtum grtum grtum grtum

i grti grti grtu grtueir grta grti grtu grtu

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/taldurspyrja = 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 - lifursegja = to say: segi sagi - sgum - sagurvaka = to be awake: vaki vakti - vktum - vakinn/vaktur

group 4 weak verbs: kalla

kalla = to call: kalla - kallai klluum - kallaurhrga = 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 byis translated as afin passive voice constructs: etta var gert af konu. (This was done by awoman).


14/16

11.4. THE MIDDLE VOICE

The middle voice is formed by the addition of the ending =stto the active verb and has three main uses:

1. The reflexive use: Hn afklist fljtt = Hn afkli sig fljtt.2. The reciprocal use: Vi tlum vi hvorn annan = Vi tlumst. 3. The passive use: Hann kallast= Hann er kallaur.4.

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 um = about, around; across; during, bygegnum = through umfram = above, beyondkringum = round, around umhverfis= around

12.2. PREPOSITIONS GOVERNING THE DATIVE

a = to, upto, at handa = for, toaf= of, from, by, off hj = with, by, nearandspnis = directly opposite mefram = along

samt= together with mt/mti= against, oppositefr= from nlgt = near togegnt = against undan = from undergagnvart= opposite r = from, out ofgegnt = opposite to

12.3. PREPOSITIONS GOVERNING THE ACCUSATIVE OR DATIVE

= on, at, in, of me= witheftir= after, by, behind undir= under

fyrir= for, before, in front of vi= at, against, by, near= in, at yfir= above, over, across


15/16

12.4. PREPOSITIONS GOVERNING THE GENITIVE

n = withoutauk= besidesinnan = inside, withinmeal= amongmegin = on the side ofmilli= between

nean = belowofan = abovesakir= on account ofskum = on account oftil= to, till, forutan = outsidevegna = on account of

13. CONJUNCTIONS

13.1. COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

og = anden = butenda = but; evenea = orbi ... og ... = both ... and ...hvorki ... n ... = neither ... nor ...hvort ... ea ... = whether ... or ...annahvort ... ea ... = either ... or ...

13.2. SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

(af) v a = becausefyrir v a = as, becauser v a = since, seeing thatskum ess a = sincevegna ess a = as, because of, owing to the factthat

ar sem = since, asfyrst = since, as

ef= ifnema = unlesssvo framarlega sem = provided that, on conditionthatsvo a= so thata= that

a= though, althoughtt= although, notwithstandingenda tt= although, even if

rtt fyrir a a= in spite of the fact thattil ess a= in order totil a= (so) thatsvo a= (so) thattil ess a ekki= lest, for fear that

eins og = as, likeog = asheldur en = thansvo sem = assem = as

v ... v ... = the ... the ...

egar= when

san = sinceur en = beforeundireins og = as soon as() mean = whilestrax og = as soon aseftir a= afterum lei og = at the same time as

egar er= as soon asanga til a= till, untilar til er= till, untilfyrr en = beforejafnskjtt sem ... = as soon as ..., the moment ... er= whenar en = no sooner ... than

ar sem= where


16/16

anga sem= where, whitherhvert sem= wherever

hvar sem= whereverhvert er= wherever

an icelandic grammar by celso_melo

Documents