Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Fyrirgefðu, má ég sitja hér?

It’s the 2nd-person singular imperative of fyrirgefa “to forgive,” used idiomatically as “Excuse me” or “Sorry.”
To be more formal or when addressing more than one person, use Fyrirgefið or the very common Afsakið.
With strangers, Afsakið is a safe polite choice; Fyrirgefðu is fine and friendly to one person.
You normally just say Fyrirgefðu, not Fyrirgefðu mig.

Why má ég and not get ég?

má (að mega) = “may, be allowed to” (permission): Má ég sitja hér? = “May I sit here?”
get (að geta) = “can, be able to/possible” (ability/feasibility): Get ég setið hér? tends to mean “Am I able to sit here (e.g., is it feasible)?”—not the usual way to ask permission.
A very polite request sometimes uses conditional/permission together: Gæti ég fengið að setjast hér? (“Could I possibly sit down here?”).

Why is the verb first in Má ég sitja hér?

Icelandic main clauses follow a “verb-second” pattern. In yes/no questions, the finite verb comes first.
Statement: Ég má sitja hér. Question: Má ég sitja hér?
Fyrirgefðu is an interjection; after the comma, the clause starts with the verb.

Why sitja and not setjast?

sitja = “to sit” (being seated; a state).
setjast = “to sit down, take a seat” (the action of sitting down).
Both work in a request:
- Má ég sitja hér? “May I (be seated) here?” (neutral, common).
- Má ég setjast hér? “May I sit down here (now)?” (focus on the action of taking the seat).

Why is there no að before sitja?

After modal verbs like mega, geta, vilja, þurfa, eiga, kunna, Icelandic uses a bare infinitive. So it’s Má ég sitja, not Má ég að sitja.

How do you pronounce the sentence?

Rough guide: Fyrirgefðu ~ “FIR-irr-gev-thu” (ð like the th in “this”), stress on the first syllable.
Má ég ~ “mow yeh(g)” (á like “ow” in “now”; ég often sounds like “yeh” or “yehg”).
sitja ~ “SIT-ya” (j = y).
hér ~ “hyair” (é like “ye” in “yes”; h before front vowels is slightly breathy).
Icelandic words are generally stressed on the first syllable.

Can I drop ég?

No. Icelandic is not a “pro-drop” language. You normally must include the subject pronoun.
If you mean “may one…?” you can say Má maður sitja hér? (generic “one”).

What’s the formal/plural way to start?

Fyrirgefið, má ég sitja hér? (formal/plural “excuse me”).
Afsakið, má ég sitja hér? is also very common and polite to strangers.
The rest of the sentence stays with ég because you’re asking on your own behalf.

Is hér the only word for “here”?

hér = “here” (neutral/standard; common in writing and speech).
hérna = “here” (colloquial; very common in everyday speech): Má ég sitja hérna?
Related contrasts:
- þarna = “there” (visible/nearby).
- hingað = “(to) here” with motion; hér has no motion.

How do I say “You may sit here”?

What are other natural ways to ask the same thing?

Why is there a comma after Fyrirgefðu?

Fyrirgefðu is an interjection. A comma separates it from the main clause. In speech, you make a small pause there.

Any case grammar to watch here?

Ég is nominative (subject of má).
sitja here takes no object.
hér is an adverb, so there’s no case ending on it.
If you bring in a noun like sæti (seat, neuter): Er þetta sæti laust? (predicate adjective agrees in neuter: laust).

How do I make the question negative?

Can I use Megi instead of Má?

Megi ég sitja hér? uses the present subjunctive. It sounds more formal, old-fashioned, or wish-like. In everyday speech, Má ég…? is standard.

What are the key forms of the verbs used here?

mega (may, be allowed): ég má, þú mátt, hann/hún/það má, við megum, þið megið, þeir/þær/þau mega.
sitja (to sit): present ég sit, þú situr, hann situr, við sitjum, þið sitjið, þeir sitja; past sat; past participle setið.
fyrirgefa (to forgive): imperative 2sg fyrirgefðu; formal/plural fyrirgefið.