Við þökkum fyrirfram fyrir hjálpina.

We thank you in advance for the help.

Breakdown of Við þökkum fyrirfram fyrir hjálpina.

• við: we
• fyrir: for
• fyrirfram: in advance
• þakka: to thank
• hjálpin: the help

Questions & Answers about Við þökkum fyrirfram fyrir hjálpina.

What is the verb form in við þökkum, and why does it have ö?

The verb is þakka (to thank). In the present tense, 1st person plural is við þökkum. The a → ö change is a regular u-umlaut triggered historically by the ending -um.

• ég þakka
• þú þakkar
• hann/hún/það þakkar
• við þökkum
• þið þakkið
• þeir/þær/þau þakka

Why do we have both fyrirfram and fyrir? Aren’t they the same?

They’re different:

• fyrirfram is an adverb meaning “in advance.”
• fyrir is a preposition meaning “for” (in this sense). So the sentence says “we thank in advance for the help.” The two words just happen to share the element fyrir.

Is it redundant to say both fyrirfram and fyrir hjálpina?

No. It’s the normal way to say “Thank you in advance for the help.” If you don’t want the “in advance” nuance, drop fyrirfram. You can also use the bare object (no preposition): Við þökkum fyrirfram hjálpina, but the version with fyrir is very common and a bit more formulaic/polite.

Why is it hjálpina with the ending -ina?

• hjálp is a feminine noun (“help”).
• -in is the definite article (“the”) attached to the noun.
• With fyrir meaning “for/on account of,” the noun is in the accusative case. So you get accusative definite singular: hjálpina → “the help.”

Do I have to use the definite form? Could I say fyrir hjálp instead of fyrir hjálpina?

You can, but in courtesy formulas Icelandic tends to prefer the definite when referring to a specific (expected) help: takk fyrir hjálpina is the most idiomatic. Variants:

• More general: fyrir hjálp
• More specific: fyrir alla hjálpina (“for all the help”)
• With a possessive (placed after the noun): fyrir hjálpina þína (“for your help”)

Where can I put fyrirfram in the sentence?

Natural placements:

• Við þökkum fyrirfram fyrir hjálpina (very common)
• Við þökkum fyrir hjálpina fyrirfram If you use the bare object: Við þökkum hjálpina fyrirfram. Placing fyrirfram right after the verb is the safest default.

Can I omit við?

Generally no; Icelandic isn’t a drop-subject language. But in notices, headings, or signs you often see the verb alone as a polite collective: Þökkum fyrir (“Thank you”). So Þökkum fyrirfram fyrir hjálpina is fine as a heading/sign-off.

How do I include the person I’m thanking?

Put the person in the dative. Examples:

• Ég þakka þér fyrir hjálpina. (I thank you [sg].)
• Við þökkum ykkur fyrir hjálpina. (We thank you [pl].)
• Ég þakka honum/henni/þeim fyrir hjálpina. Without fyrir, you can also make the thing a direct object: Ég þakka þér hjálpina.

How do I thank someone for doing something (with a verb)?

Use fyrir að + infinitive (or fyrir að hafa + past participle for “for having done”):

• Takk fyrir að hjálpa.
• Við þökkum fyrirfram fyrir að hafa samband.

What’s the difference between við þökkum and takk?

• takk (fyrir …) is an interjection; neutral and common in everyday speech.
• við þökkum … is a full verb clause; more formal or collective. You’ll also see set phrases like Fyrirfram þakkir (“Thanks in advance”) and Kærar þakkir (“Many thanks”).

How do I pronounce the tricky letters here?

• ð in við: voiced “th,” like in “this.”
• þ in þökkum: voiceless “th,” like in “think.”
• ö: like German “ö” (rounded version of the vowel in “bed”).
• kk in þökkum: preaspirated; sounds a bit like “hk.”
• y/i in fyrir/fyrirfram: short “i” (as in “bit”).
• hj in hjálpina: like “hy-” (as in “huge”); á is “ow” as in “cow.” Stress is on the first syllable of each word.

When does fyrir take accusative vs. dative?

• “For/on account of”: accusative (e.g., fyrir hjálpina, fyrir mig).
• Static location “in front of”: dative (e.g., fyrir húsinu = in front of the house).
• Motion to a position in front of: accusative (e.g., fyrir húsið).

Is thanking “in advance” considered polite in Icelandic?

Yes. þakka/thanks + fyrirfram is a common, polite formula in messages and emails. It doesn’t usually sound pushy. Very formal letters may use Fyrirfram þakkir as a standalone line.

Can I say aðstoðina instead of hjálpina?

Yes. aðstoð also means “assistance/help” and is a bit more formal. Við þökkum fyrirfram fyrir aðstoðina is natural.

How do I say “Thank you very much in advance”?

Use intensifiers that collocate with thanking:

• Kærar þakkir fyrirfram (fyrir hjálpina).
• Við þökkum kærlega/innilega fyrirfram (fyrir hjálpina). Avoid using mjög directly with the verb; prefer kærlega/innilega or the noun þakkir.

Any common pitfalls to avoid?

• Don’t mix up þakka (“thank”) with taka (“take”).
• Keep fyrirfram (one word, adverb) distinct from fyrir (preposition).
• Place possessives after the noun in this context: hjálpina þína, not þína hjálpina.

What are some short, idiomatic sign-offs that express the same idea?

• Fyrirfram þakkir.
• Kærar þakkir fyrirfram.
• Takk fyrirfram (fyrir hjálpina).