To express hypothetical situations—like "If X happened, Y would happen"—Icelandic uses a two-part sentence structure:
The "If" Clause (Ef)
The condition starts with ef (if), followed by a verb in the past subjunctive.
The Result Clause (Myndi)
The main clause describes the imaginary result using the auxiliary verb myndi ("would") plus the main verb in the infinitive.
Here is how myndi conjugates:
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| ég | myndi |
| þú | myndir |
| hann / hún / það | myndi |
| við | myndum |
| þið | mynduð |
| þau | myndu |
| If we had the time machine, we would explore the universe. | Ef við hefðum tímavélina, myndum við kanna alheiminn. |
| If he went into the past, he would create a paradox. | Ef hann færi í fortíðina, myndi hann skapa þverstæðu. |
Using Different Verb Types
The ef clause works with all verbs in the past subjunctive, including strong verbs with vowel shifts (like brytir, "broke") and middle voice verbs (like opnaðist, "opened").
| If the portal opened, the aliens would destroy the planet. | Ef gáttin opnaðist, myndu geimverurnar eyðileggja reikistjörnuna. |
| If you broke the time machine, we would disappear. | Ef þú brytir tímavélina, myndum við hverfa. |
Swapping the Clause Order
Just like in English, you can reverse the order of the sentence, starting with the myndi clause and finishing with the ef clause.
| I would test the time travel if the time machine were safe. | Ég myndi prófa tímaferðalagið ef tímavélin væri örugg. |
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