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Icelandic

To express amazement in Icelandic ("How...!" or "So much...!"), use either **mikið** or **en hvað**. Both are common, but they require different word orders.

### Exclaiming with *mikið*

Because **mikið** takes the first slot in the sentence, the verb must immediately follow it (standard V2 word order). The subject comes third.

**Mikið** + verb + subject

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### Exclaiming with *en hvað*

Unlike *mikið*, starting an exclamation with **en hvað** does not invert the subject and verb. You simply use standard subject-verb word order.

**En hvað** + subject + verb

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### More Examples

You can use both structures to react to talented performers, awe-inspiring acts, and agile animals.

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Exclamations (mikið / en hvað)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

phrase

prep

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Presentative and the definite suffix (þetta er, -inn, -in, -ið)

Singular pronouns and to be (ég er, þú ert)

Singular adjective agreement

Yes/no questions (ert þú…?)

Basic negation (ekki)

Plural pronouns and to be (við erum, þeir eru)

Group 1 weak verbs (-ar)

Group 2 and 3 verbs (-ir, -ur)

Information questions (hvað, hver, hvar)

Expressing opinions (mér finnst, mér líkar)

Expressing desires (mig langar)

Numbers 1 to 10 (einn, tveir, þrír)

Direct objects on indefinite nouns

Direct objects on definite nouns

Singular object pronouns (mig, þig...)

Plural object pronouns (okkur, ykkur...)

Directional prepositions (um, í, á)

Verb-second word order

Expressing intentions (ætla að)

Needs and wants (þurfa, vilja)

Middle voice verbs (-st)

Possessive pronouns (minn, þinn)

Dative case with prepositions (í, á, frá)

Definite dative nouns (-num, -nni, -nu)

Dative personal pronouns (honum, henni, þeim)

Plural nouns (-ar, -ir, -ur)

Definite plural nouns (-nir, -nar, -in)

Accusative plural nouns

Number agreement 1 to 4 (einn, tveir…)

Singular commands

Past tense of the verb to be (var, vorum)

Present continuous (vera að)

Strong verbs in the present tense

Weather and dummy subjects (það)

Invariable possessive pronouns (hans, hennar, þeirra)

Accusative possessives (minn, þinn)

Accompaniment (með)

Dative plural (-um, -unum)

Compound sentences (og, en, eða)

"This" in the nominative (þessi, þessi, þetta)

"This" in the accusative (þennan, þessa, þetta)

Accusative adjectives (-an, -a, -t)

Numbers 1 to 4 in the accusative (einn, tvo, þrjá)

Third-person reflexive pronouns (sig, sér)

The preposition "to" with the genitive (til)

Subordinating conjunctions (að, af því að)

Simple past of weak verbs (-aði)

Question words (hvernig, hvaða)

Physical possession (vera með)

Abstract possession (hafa)

Telling time (hálf, korter)

Plural commands (-ið)

The simple past tense (-di, -ti, -ði)

Possessive noun endings (-s, -ar)

Days of the week (á mánudaginn, á mánudögum)

Kveðjur — greetings (halló, bless)

Um mig — where I am from

Kurteisi — please, sorry, congratulations

Ability and knowing how (kunna að)

Permission (mega)

Obligation (eiga að)

Plural strong verbs

Numbers 11 to 20 (ellefu, tólf...)

Counting by tens to 100 (þrjátíu, fjörutíu...)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (fyrsti, annar...)

All / everything / everyone (allur)

The indefinite pronoun someone (einhver)

The indefinite pronoun no one (enginn)

Compound numbers from 21 (tuttugu og)

This in the dative singular (þessum, þessari, þessu)

These in the dative plural (þessum)

My and your in the dative (mínum, þínum)

Numbers 1 to 4 in the dative (einum, tveimur)

Adjectives in the dative singular (-um, -ri, -u)

Adjectives in the dative plural (-um)

Reflexive possessive in the accusative (sinn, sína, sitt)

Reflexive possessive in the dative (sínum, sinni)

Reflexive versus regular possessives (sinn, hans)

Demonstrative plural (þessir, þessar, þessi)

Definite genitive singular (-sins, -arinnar)

Indefinite genitive plural (-a)

Definite genitive plural (-anna)

Genitive prepositions (án, milli, vegna)

Prepositions of direction (yfir, undir, fyrir)

Prepositions of static location (yfir, undir, fyrir)

Question	Answer
the circus	sirkusinn
amazing	magnaður
How amazing the circus is.	Mikið er sirkusinn magnaður.
how (in exclamations)	en hvað
the act	atriðið
How amazing this act is.	En hvað þetta atriði er magnað.
the clown	trúðurinn
How funny the clown is.	Mikið er trúðurinn fyndinn.
the joke	brandarinn
How old this joke is.	En hvað þessi brandari er gamall.
the magician	töframaðurinn
talented	hæfileikaríkur
How talented the magician is.	Mikið er töframaðurinn hæfileikaríkur.
How talented the whole group is.	En hvað allur hópurinn er hæfileikaríkur.
agile	fimur
How well the clown jumps! He is very agile.	Mikið hoppar trúðurinn vel! Hann er mjög fimur.
the elephant	fíllinn
How big and agile the elephant is.	En hvað fíllinn er stór og fimur.
the lion	ljónið
How much all twenty children look forward to seeing the lion.	Mikið hlakka öll tuttugu börnin til að sjá ljónið.
How exciting the magician's act is.	En hvað atriðið hjá töframanninum er spennandi.
How long the lion can sleep.	Mikið getur ljónið sofið lengi.
How difficult it is to understand this joke.	En hvað það er erfitt að skilja þennan brandara.
How much the elephant eats in the circus.	Mikið borðar fíllinn í sirkusnum.