Questions & Answers about Endilega bankið þegar þið komið.
What does endilega add to the sentence? Is it like please?
Endilega is a friendly “go right ahead / by all means / please do”. It makes the request sound welcoming and encouraging rather than strictly formal.
- Endilega bankið… ≈ “(Do) knock, please / Feel free to knock…”
It’s often used when you’re giving permission or inviting someone to do something.
Why is bankið used—what form is it?
bankið is the imperative (command/request) form of the verb að banka (“to knock”), addressed to more than one person (or to þið-address).
- Infinitive: að banka
- Imperative (singular): bankaðu! (“knock!” to one person)
- Imperative (plural): bankið! (“knock!” to you all)
Why does it say þið? Can Icelandic drop the pronoun like English sometimes does?
Yes—often you can omit þið because the verb ending already shows the person/number. This sentence could also be:
- Endilega bankið þegar komið.
Including þið makes it a bit clearer/emphatic (“when you come/arrive”).
Is þið always plural, or can it be used for politeness to one person (like French vous)?