What are common mistakes with Lögð sagnorð (vilja og geta)?

Using infinitive after geta (*get tala instead of get talað). Geta uniquely requires the supine/past participle. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English modals + infinitive is simple. Icelandic geta + supine is a unique construction. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian мочь/хотеть/надо + infinitive. Geta's supine requirement is new. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech moct/chtít/muset + infinitive. Geta + supine has no Czech parallel. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German können/wollen/müssen + infinitive. Geta + past participle is unusual.

Lögð sagnorð (vilja og geta) | Icelandic Grammar A1

Lögð sagnorð (vilja og geta)

A1 — Sagnir

Modal verbs: vilja (want), geta (can), mega (may), eiga (should), verða (must), þurfa (need)

Can use modal verbs vilja, geta, mega, þurfa with correct complement forms (infinitive vs supine)

Modal verbs: vilja (want), geta (can), mega (may), eiga (should), verða (must), þurfa (need)

Examples

Ég get ekki talað íslensku. — I cannot speak Icelandic.
Þú mátt ekki reykja hér. — You may not smoke here.
Við þurfum að fara núna. — We need to go now.

SagnirA1

Modal Verbs (vilja, geta, mega, þurfa)

Modal verbs: vilja (want), geta (can), mega (may), eiga (should), verða (must), þurfa (need)

Learning Goal

Can use modal verbs with correct complement forms (infinitive vs supine)

Exam Skills:VISC-A1

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Ég get ekki talað íslensku.

I cannot speak Icelandic.

Þú mátt ekki reykja hér.

You may not smoke here.

Við þurfum að fara núna.

We need to go now.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Íslensk lögð sagnorð (modal verbs) standa með nafnhætti (infinitive) eða lýsingarhætti þátíðar (past participle):

Sagnorð	Merking	Ég	Þú	Hann	Form
vilja	want	vil	vilt	vill	+ nafnháttur
geta	can/be able	get	getur	getur	+ lýsingarháttur þátíðar
mega	may/be allowed	má	mátt	má	+ nafnháttur
eiga	should/ought	á	átt	á	+ að + nafnháttur
verða	must/have to	verð	verður	verður	+ að + nafnháttur
þurfa	need	þarf	þarft	þarf	+ að + nafnháttur

Mikilvægt: Geta tekur sagnbót (supine/past participle): Ég get talað (I can speak). Ekki *ég get tala.

Vilja og mega taka nafnhátt: Ég vil tala.

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Using infinitive after geta (*get tala instead of get talað). Geta uniquely requires the supine/past participle. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English modals + infinitive is simple. Icelandic geta + supine is a unique construction.

Ég get ekki talað íslensku.

I cannot speak Icelandic.

Get + talað (supine of tala, NOT infinitive). Ekki after get: get ekki talað.

Þú mátt ekki reykja hér.

You may not smoke here.

Mátt = may (2sg of mega). Reykja = smoke (infinitive). Mega + infinitive for permission.

Við þurfum að fara núna.

We need to go now.

Þurfum = need (1pl of þurfa). Þurfa + að + infinitive. Núna = now.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

Frequently asked questions

When is Lögð sagnorð (vilja og geta) used?: Íslensk lögð sagnorð (modal verbs) standa með nafnhætti (infinitive) eða lýsingarhætti þátíðar (past participle):
How is Lögð sagnorð (vilja og geta) formed?: Mikilvægt: Geta tekur sagnbót (supine/past participle): Ég get talað (I can speak). Ekki *ég get tala.
What are common mistakes with Lögð sagnorð (vilja og geta)?: Using infinitive after geta (*get tala instead of get talað). Geta uniquely requires the supine/past participle. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English modals + infinitive is simple. Icelandic geta + supine is a unique construction. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian мочь/хотеть/надо + infinitive. Geta's supine requirement is new. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech moct/chtít/muset + infinitive. Geta + supine has no Czech parallel. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German können/wollen/müssen + infinitive. Geta + past participle is unusual.