What are common mistakes with Neitun (ekki)?

Placing ekki before the verb (*Ég ekki er) instead of after (Ég er ekki). Double negation is NOT used in standard Icelandic. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'not' goes after auxiliaries too — similar to ekki after verb. But English uses 'do not' where Icelandic doesn't. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian не goes before the verb — opposite placement. Switch to post-verbal position. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech ne- prefixes the verb — Icelandic uses a separate word after the verb. Different structure. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German nicht after the verb is identical — excellent transfer!

Neitun (ekki): rules, examples & exercises | Icelandic Grammar A1

Neitun (ekki)

A1 — Setningafræði

Negation with ekki — placement rules and common negative words

Can negate sentences using ekki and other negative words with correct placement

Negation with ekki — placement rules and common negative words

Examples

Ég tala ekki þýsku. — I don't speak German.
Enginn er heima. — Nobody is home.
Ég hef aldrei verið á Íslandi. — I have never been to Iceland.

SetningafræðiA1

Negation (ekki)

Negation with ekki — placement rules and common negative words

Learning Goal

Can negate sentences using ekki and other negative words with correct placement

Exam Skills:VISC-A1

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

Ég tala ekki þýsku.

I don't speak German.

Enginn er heima.

Nobody is home.

Ég hef aldrei verið á Íslandi.

I have never been to Iceland.

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

Neitun í íslensku er einföld: setjið ekki á eftir sagnorðinu:

Jákvætt	Neikvætt
Ég er þreyttur.	Ég er ekki þreyttur.
Hún talar íslensku.	Hún talar ekki íslensku.
Við erum hér.	Við erum ekki hér.

Önnur neitunorð:

Orð	Merking	Dæmi
aldrei	never	Ég fer aldrei þangað.
ekkert	nothing	Ekkert gerist.
enginn	nobody/none	Enginn er hér.
hvergi	nowhere	Hann fer hvergi.
hvorki...né	neither...nor	Hvorki ég né þú.

Athugið: Ekki stendur ALLTAF á eftir beygingarforminu: Ég hef ekki séð hann. (I have not seen him.)

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Placing ekki before the verb (*Ég ekki er) instead of after (Ég er ekki). Double negation is NOT used in standard Icelandic. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'not' goes after auxiliaries too — similar to ekki after verb. But English uses 'do not' where Icelandic doesn't.

Ég tala ekki þýsku.

I don't speak German.

Ekki after the main verb: tala ekki. No auxiliary 'do' needed (unlike English).

Enginn er heima.

Nobody is home.

Enginn = nobody. No double negation: enginn er (NOT *enginn er ekki).

Ég hef aldrei verið á Íslandi.

I have never been to Iceland.

Aldrei = never. Position: after the auxiliary hef. Verið = been (past participle of vera).

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

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Frequently asked questions

When is Neitun (ekki) used?: Neitun í íslensku er einföld: setjið ekki á eftir sagnorðinu:
How is Neitun (ekki) formed?: Athugið: Ekki stendur ALLTAF á eftir beygingarforminu: Ég hef ekki séð hann. (I have not seen him.)
What are common mistakes with Neitun (ekki)?: Placing ekki before the verb (*Ég ekki er) instead of after (Ég er ekki). Double negation is NOT used in standard Icelandic. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'not' goes after auxiliaries too — similar to ekki after verb. But English uses 'do not' where Icelandic doesn't. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian не goes before the verb — opposite placement. Switch to post-verbal position. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech ne- prefixes the verb — Icelandic uses a separate word after the verb. Different structure. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German nicht after the verb is identical — excellent transfer!