Grammar Reference

Icelandic alphabet, special letters ð/þ/æ/ö, and pronunciation rules

Can recognize Icelandic special letters (ð, þ, æ, ö) and apply first-syllable stress

Personal pronouns: ég, þú, hann/hún/það, við, þið, þeir/þær/þau

Can use all Icelandic personal pronouns including the three gendered plural forms

Possessive pronouns: minn/mín/mitt, þinn/þín/þitt, hans/hennar/þess, etc.

Can use possessive pronouns correctly, placing them after the noun with gender agreement

Pronouns in the accusative, dative and genitive: mig, mér, mín - and the verbs that pick each case.

I can put a pronoun in the case the verb or preposition requires (Ari bauð mér í sund; ég sakna þín).

sig, sér, sín and the possessive sinn: the third-person forms that point back at the subject.

I can tell his own from someone else's (mömmu sína vs mömmu hans) and use sig/sér correctly.

þessi and sá declined in full, plus hinn; why þessi and sá drop the suffixed article and hinn demands it.

I can point at things and pick people out of a group (þessi peysa, sá sem kemur fyrstur).

The verb 'to be' (vera) in present tense — er, ert, erum, eruð, eru

Can conjugate vera (to be) in present tense for all persons

The verb 'to have' (hafa) in present tense — hef, hefur, höfum, hafið, hafa

Can conjugate hafa (to have) in the present and use it for the perfect and with abstract nouns (hafa tíma); possession is eiga

Regular verb conjugation in present tense — weak verb classes with -a, -i, -ur endings

Can conjugate regular (weak) verbs in present tense across all three verb classes

Common irregular (strong) verbs: fara, koma, geta, vilja, sjá, gefa in present tense

Can conjugate common irregular verbs in present tense

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

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

How weak Icelandic verbs form the past tense with a dental ending (-aði, -di, -ti).

I can talk about completed past actions using weak verbs (Ég borðaði skyr í morgun).

How strong Icelandic verbs form the past by changing the root vowel (ablaut): fara -> fór.

I can use the past of common strong verbs (Ég fór til Akureyrar og sá hvali).

The present perfect: hafa (or vera for motion verbs) + the supine. Ég hef borðað.

I can say what I have done and where I have been (Ég hef farið til Íslands).

Expressing the future without a future tense: present + time word, ætla að, munu.

I can talk about plans and predictions (Ég ætla að fara til Íslands í sumar).

The imperative: commands fused with þú as -ðu/-du/-tu (komdu, farðu), plural -ið, negation with ekki.

I can give simple instructions and warnings (Komdu hingað! Ekki gleyma vegabréfinu!).

The -st ending: reciprocal, self-acting and lexicalised verbs, and the pairs to learn together.

I can arrange to meet somebody and say that something happened by itself (Við hittumst klukkan sex).

mig langar, mér finnst: verbs whose person sits in the accusative or dative, plus the placeholder það.

I can say what I want, need, feel and think using the impersonal patterns (Mig langar í kaffi; mér finnst þetta gott).

The suffixed definite article: -inn (m), -in (f), -ið (n) and their case forms

Can form definite nouns using the suffixed article -inn/-in/-ið

Three grammatical genders: masculine (karlkyn), feminine (kvenkyn), neuter (hvorugkyn)

Can identify the three grammatical genders of Icelandic nouns and predict gender from common endings

Weak vs strong noun declension patterns — the two main systems of Icelandic nouns

Can distinguish weak and strong noun declension patterns and apply basic case endings

Plural case endings across the genders: -um in the dative, -a in the genitive, and the u-umlaut behind börnum.

I can put a noun into any plural case, with or without the article (í fjöllunum, milli húsanna).

Nominative case (nefnifall) for subjects and accusative case (þolfall) for direct objects

Can distinguish nominative (subject) from accusative (direct object) case and apply correct noun endings

Dative case (þágufall) for indirect objects, after certain prepositions, and with dative verbs

Can use the dative case for indirect objects, with prepositions, and with dative verbs like líka

Genitive case (eignarfall) for possession, with til, and in time expressions

Can use the genitive case for possession, after til, and in age expressions

Adjective agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case (strong declension basics)

Can make adjectives agree with nouns in gender, number, and case in basic sentences

Comparative (-ari) and superlative (-astur) of adjectives, irregulars (stór/stærri/stærstur), 'than' = en.

I can compare things and name the most/least (Dettifoss er stærri en Gullfoss).

Cardinal numbers from zero to one hundred with gender agreement

Can count from 0 to 100 and apply gender agreement on numbers 1-4

fyrsti to tuttugasti, the weak endings they take, and the strong odd one out: annar.

I can say which floor I live on, which day it is and put points in order (í fyrsta lagi).

17. júní: writing and saying dates, the nominative-versus-accusative rule, years and the dates Icelanders keep.

I can write and say a date, give my birthday and name a year (Ég á afmæli þriðja mars).

Question words: hver, hvað, hvar, hvenær, hvers vegna, hvernig, hvaða

Can form questions using Icelandic question words with correct V2 word order

Negation with ekki — placement rules and common negative words

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

V2 word order rule — the verb must be in second position in declarative sentences

Can apply V2 word order in declarative sentences and V1 in yes/no questions

Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions: og, en, eða, af því að, þegar, ef

Can connect clauses using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions with correct word order

sem, the invariable relative word: preposition stranding, possessive resumption and when to use commas.

I can describe a person or thing with a relative clause (maðurinn sem ég talaði við).

að as the conjunction that, told apart from að the infinitive marker; word order and the missing comma.

I can say what I know or think in one sentence (Ég veit að rútan fer klukkan sjö frá BSÍ).

Common prepositions and their case government (á, í, frá, til, með, úr, við)

Can use common prepositions with correct case government, including the static/dynamic distinction

um, gegnum, kringum, umhverfis, við - and the accusative of movement with í, á, undir, yfir.

I can use accusative prepositions and tell where from where to (Ég fer í sund / Ég er í sundi).

Time and frequency adverbs: alltaf, oft, stundum, sjaldan, aldrei, núna, í dag, á morgun

Can use common time and frequency adverbs with correct placement

-lega and neuter-form adverbs, their comparison, and the inn/inni/innan three-way system.

I can say how something is done and tell going there from being there (Ég fer heim / Ég er heima).

Essential everyday expressions: greetings, introductions, politeness, shopping, directions

Can use essential Icelandic greetings, introductions, and polite expressions in everyday situations