Reading a will and dividing an inheritance requires careful language. Before we dive into fractions, let's look at some essential vocabulary for handling an estate, such as erfðaskrá (will), erfingi (heir), and the verb skipta (to divide).
The Noun Helmingur (Half)
In Icelandic, there are two different ways to say "half." The first is the masculine noun helmingur. You use this when treating "the half" as a distinct share or object. It often appears with the definite article as helmingurinn (the half) and is frequently followed by the preposition af (of) plus the dative case to say "half of" something.
The Adjective Hálfur (Half)
The second way to say "half" is the adjective hálfur. You use this when "half" directly modifies a noun, similar to saying "a half share" or "half the family" in English. Like all Icelandic adjectives, hálfur must agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun it describes.
It is common to see both the noun and the adjective used in the same sentence to express similar ideas in different grammatical ways.
Other Fractions and Proportions
For other common fractions, Icelandic uses masculine nouns ending in -ungur, such as þriðjungur (a third) and fjórðungur (a quarter).
Finally, when discussing the overall split, ratios, or percentages, you can use the neuter noun hlutfall (proportion).
