Introduction to verbs
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A verb is a "doing" word eg.
- He plays the piano.
- We like to relax.
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Most verbs end in a. Some verbs end in á, while there are very rare examples of verbs ending in e, o, and u. Verbs are classed as strong and weak verbs, which represents how they are conjugated.
Strong class 1
| -í_a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-í_
|
-í_um
|
| 2nd person
|
-í_ur
|
-í_ið
|
| 3rd person
|
-í_ur
|
-í_a
|
Strong class 2
-jó_a
-jú_a
-ú_a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-ý_
|
-ý_um
|
| 2nd person
|
-ý_ur
|
-ý_ið
|
| 3rd person
|
-ý_ur
|
-ý_a
|
Weak class 1
| -ja
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-
|
-jum
|
| 2nd person
|
-ur
|
-jið
|
| 3rd person
|
-ur
|
-ja
|
Weak class 2
| -a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-i
|
-um
|
| 2nd person
|
-ir
|
-ið
|
| 3rd person
|
-ir
|
-a
|
Weak class 4
| -a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-a
|
-um
|
| 2nd person
|
-ar
|
-ið
|
| 3rd person
|
-ar
|
-a
|
Icelandic verbs are conjugated for the present and past tense. The future tense is indicated by auxiliary verbs such as munu, skulu, and vera að fara að.
The inflection tables above show the present tense, while the inflection tables below show the past tense.
Strong class 1
| -í_a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-ei_
|
-i_um
|
| 2nd person
|
-ei_st
|
-i_uð
|
| 3rd person
|
-ei_
|
-i_u
|
Strong class 2
-jó_a
-jú_a
-ú_a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-au_
|
-u_um
|
| 2nd person
|
-au_st
|
-u_uð
|
| 3rd person
|
-au_
|
-u_u
|
Weak class 2
| -a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-di
|
-dum
|
| 2nd person
|
-dir
|
-duð
|
| 3rd person
|
-dir
|
-du
|
Weak class 4
| -a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-aði
|
-uðum
|
| 2nd person
|
-aðir
|
-uðuð
|
| 3rd person
|
-aði
|
-uðu
|
Icelandic verbs are conjugated for two moods: indicative and subjunctive. The indicative mood is used for certain facts, while the subjunctive mood is used for hypothetical actions or possibilities. The above conjugations were for the indicative mood.
Strong class 1
| -í_a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-í_i
|
-í_um
|
| 2nd person
|
-í_ir
|
-í_ið
|
| 3rd person
|
-í_i
|
-í_i
|
Weak class 2
| -a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-i
|
-um
|
| 2nd person
|
-ir
|
-ið
|
| 3rd person
|
-i
|
-i
|
Weak class 4
| -a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-i
|
-um
|
| 2nd person
|
-ir
|
-ið
|
| 3rd person
|
-i
|
-i
|
Strong class 1
| -í_a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-i_i
|
-i_um
|
| 2nd person
|
-i_ir
|
-i_uð
|
| 3rd person
|
-i_i
|
-i_u
|
Weak class 2
| -a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-di
|
-dum
|
| 2nd person
|
-dir
|
-duð
|
| 3rd person
|
-dir
|
-du
|
Weak class 4
| -a
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
| 1st person
|
-aði
|
-uðum
|
| 2nd person
|
-aðir
|
-uðuð
|
| 3rd person
|
-aði
|
-uðu
|
- The supine (Icelandic: sagnbót) is a form that is used after the auxiliary verbs geta and hafa. It is identical to the neuter past participle.
- The present participle is always formed by adding suffix -ndi to the infinitive. It is not inflected for gender, number, or case. Note that it is not used as a gerund; for example, the English phrase I am coming would be translated as Ég er að koma, not Ég er komandi.
- The imperative mood has three primary forms: truncated, singular, and plural. The truncated form is always followed by þú, while the plural form is always followed by þið.
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Most verbs have a mediopassive form, which is sometimes considered to be a separate word. It is always equivalent to the active infinitive plus -st. The mediopassive form is used like this:
- Active:
- Hann braut gluggann.
- He broke the window.
- Mediopassive:
- Glugginn braust.
- The window broke.
However, there are many words whose mediopassives have entirely different meanings than the active.
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The past participle is inflected for gender, number, case, and strength, unlike the present participle. Like the mediopassive, it is sometimes considered to be a separate word.
