Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Icelandic grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Fyrirgefðu, má ég sitja hér?
What does Fyrirgefðu mean, and when do I use it?
- 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”?
- To one person: Þú mátt sitja hér.
- To more than one: Þið megið sitja hér.
- Negative: Þú mátt ekki sitja hér. / Þið megið ekki sitja hér.
What are other natural ways to ask the same thing?
- Er þetta sæti laust? “Is this seat free?”
- Er í lagi að ég setjist hér? “Is it okay if I sit down here?”
- Má ég fá að setjast hér? “May I get to sit down here?”
- Softer/politer: Gæti ég fengið að setjast hér?
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?
- Má ég ekki sitja hér? “Am I not allowed to sit here?”
- With the “sit down” verb: Má ég ekki setjast hér?
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.