Ég kem fljótlega heim.

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Breakdown of Ég kem fljótlega heim.

• heim: home
• koma: to come
• fljótlega: soon

Questions & Answers about Ég kem fljótlega heim.

Why is it kem and not koma?

Koma is the infinitive (to come). Kem is the 1st person singular present tense form, used with ég (I).
Conjugation (present):

• ég kem = I come / I’m coming
• þú kemur = you come
• hann/hún/það kemur = he/she/it comes
• við komum = we come
• þið komið = you (pl.) come
• þeir/þær/þau koma = they come

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Does the present tense here mean “I am coming soon” or “I will come soon”?

Both are possible depending on context. Icelandic often uses the present tense for near-future plans, similar to English I’m coming soon.
If you want to be extra explicit about the future, you can use mun:

• Ég mun koma fljótlega heim. = I will come home soon.
  But Ég kem fljótlega heim. is very natural for an upcoming arrival.

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What exactly does fljótlega mean, and how strong is it?

Fljótlega means soon / shortly / before long. It’s fairly neutral: it suggests “not too long from now,” but it doesn’t promise “immediately.”
Related options by feel:

• strax = right away / immediately
• bráðum = soon (common, straightforward)
• innan skamms = before long / shortly (a bit more formal)

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