Við viljum leysa þetta saman.

to want

Breakdown of Við viljum leysa þetta saman.

• við: we
• saman: together
• þetta: this

Questions & Answers about Við viljum leysa þetta saman.

What does the form viljum mean, and how is vilja conjugated?

• viljum = “we want.” It’s 1st person plural present of að vilja (to want).
• Present tense of vilja:
  • ég vil
  • þú vilt
  • hann/hún/það vill
  • við viljum
  • þið viljið
  • þeir/þær/þau vilja
• It behaves like a modal verb (“want to”) and is followed by an infinitive.

Why is it leysa and not a conjugated form like leysum?

• After modal verbs like vilja, the next verb appears in the bare infinitive: viljum leysa.
• Compare: Ég vil fara (I want to go), Þau vilja borða (They want to eat).

Where does negation go? How do I say “We don’t want to solve this together”?

• Place ekki after the finite verb: Við viljum ekki leysa þetta saman.
• With emphasis: Við viljum alls ekki leysa þetta saman.
• In main clauses, Icelandic keeps the finite verb in second position.

What case is þetta, and why that form?