……
Questions & Answers about Ég ætla að panta borð.
What exactly does the verb ætla mean here?
Ætla literally means “to intend/plan.” In everyday speech it often works like English “be going to,” expressing a planned or decided future action. Icelandic doesn’t have a separate future tense, so speakers use the present with verbs like ætla (intention) or munu (prediction/promise), or just the present with a time expression.
Why is að in the sentence? Is it the same að as “that” or the preposition “to”?
Here að is the infinitive marker, i.e., “to” before a verb: að panta = “to book/reserve.” Don’t confuse it with:
- að as “that” introducing a clause: Ég veit að þú kemur (I know that you’re coming).
- að as a preposition “to/towards/at” (usually with dative): að húsinu (to the house).
Why is there no word for “a” before borð?
Icelandic has no indefinite article. You simply say the noun by itself for “a/an.” The definite article is a suffix: borðið = “the table.”
What case is borð, and why doesn’t it change form?
Borð is the direct object of panta, so it’s in the accusative. It looks unchanged because it’s a neuter noun whose nominative and accusative singular are identical: borð. With the definite article you see a change: borðið (“the table”). Dative singular is borði (e.g., á borði = on a table).
Could this also mean I’m ordering a physical table (furniture)?
Yes—out of context að panta borð can mean “order a table (to buy).” To make the restaurant meaning clear, add context:
- Restaurant: … að panta borð á veitingastað, or add time/people: … klukkan sjö, fyrir fjóra.
- Furniture: … að panta skrifborð/matarborð.
What’s the difference between panta, bóka, and taka frá?
- panta: to order/reserve; very common for tables, appointments, items. Natural in speech: panta borð.
- bóka: to book; common for hotels, flights, also tables; slightly more formal/“bookish” but widely used: bóka borð.
- taka frá: to set aside/reserve/hold (someone keeps it for you): Geturðu tekið borð frá fyrir mig?
How can I say this more politely on the phone?
- Góðan dag. Mig langar að panta borð. (I’d like to book a table.)
- Má ég panta borð? (May I book a table?)
- Gæti ég fengið að panta borð? (Could I book a table?)
- Væri hægt að panta borð klukkan sjö? (Would it be possible to book a table at seven?) Ég vil panta borð is fine but more direct.
Where does the negation go?
Place ekki after the finite verb ætla and before að + infinitive:
- Ég ætla ekki að panta borð. (I’m not going to book a table.)
How do I add the time and number of people?
- Typical pattern: panta borð klukkan [time] fyrir [number] (+ optional day).
- Examples:
- Ég ætla að panta borð fyrir fjóra klukkan sjö í kvöld.
- Ég ætla að panta borð klukkan hálf átta. (7:30; literally “half eight.”) Common numbers for people (accusative): tvo (2), þrjá (3), fjóra (4), fimm (5).
How do you pronounce the sentence?
Approximate guidance (stress on the first syllable of each word):
- Ég ≈ “yei” (often like “yeh/yei”; the final g can be very soft).
- ætla ≈ “AIT-la” (æ like “eye”; final a like “ah”).
- að ≈ “a(ð)” with ð as the th in “this.”
- panta ≈ “PAHN-ta” (p and t with a little puff of air).
- borð ≈ “bor-th” (ð as in “this”). Put it together smoothly: “Yei AIT-la ath PAHN-ta bor-th.”
How is ætla conjugated?
Present tense:
- ég ætla
- þú ætlar
- hann/hún/það ætlar
- við ætlum
- þið ætlið
- þeir/þær/þau ætla Past (for reference): ég ætlaði, við ætluðum, etc.
Can I drop the subject pronoun Ég?
No. Icelandic generally requires subject pronouns; it’s not a pro‑drop language. Keep Ég: Ég ætla…
Do I always need að after ætla?
If it’s followed by another verb in the infinitive, yes: ætla að panta. But with movement, Icelandic often omits að fara and uses ætla + a prepositional phrase:
- Ég ætla í bíó. (I’m going to the cinema.)
- Ég ætla á tónleika. (I’m going to a concert.)
Is there a difference between Ég ætla að panta borð and Ég mun panta borð?
- Ég ætla að panta borð = I intend/plan to do it (decision/plan).
- Ég mun panta borð = I will do it (prediction/promise/neutral future), a bit more formal or emphatic. In casual speech, ætla (or even just the present with a time word) is more common: Ég panta borð á morgun.
Can I say Ég ætla að panta mér borð?
You can; mér (dative “to me”) is a dative of interest, emphasizing it’s for yourself. It’s very common with appointments: Ég ætla að panta mér tíma (book myself an appointment). For restaurant tables, most speakers simply say panta borð or panta borð fyrir tvo; using mér is colloquial and fine but not required.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Icelandic grammar?”
Icelandic grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning IcelandicMaster Icelandic — from Ég ætla að panta borð to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions