The Impersonal Pronoun "maður"
In Icelandic, the word maður (a man/person) is frequently used as an impersonal pronoun, equivalent to the English "one" or the generic "you." Just like a regular noun, this pronoun changes its form depending on its grammatical role.
| Case | Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | maður | one (subject) |
| Accusative | mann | one (direct object) |
| Dative | manni | one (indirect object) |
| Genitive | manns | one's (possessive) |
Accusative: mann
When "one" is the direct object of an action, use the accusative form, mann. For example, the verb trufla (to disturb) governs the accusative case.
| An impolite fellow traveler always disturbs one. | Ókurteis samferðamaður truflar mann alltaf. |
| The presence of rude people disturbs one. | Nærvera dónalegs fólks truflar mann. |
Dative: manni
When "one" is an indirect object, or the object of a verb that dictates the dative case—like valda (to cause) or gefa (to give)—use manni.
| The crush always causes one irritation. | Troðningurinn veldur manni alltaf pirringi. |
| An inconsiderate fellow traveler gives one no space. | Tillitslaus samferðamaður gefur manni ekkert pláss. |
You must also use manni when "one" is the logical subject of an impersonal verb like líða (to feel). Icelandic structures this as "to one feels."
| One feels bad when people are pushing their way in the crush. | Manni líður illa þegar fólkið er að ryðjast í troðningnum. |
Genitive: manns
To say "one's" to indicate possession, use the genitive form, manns. In Icelandic, the possessor typically comes after the thing being possessed (e.g., geðslag manns for "one's mood").
| The irritation spoils one's mood in the morning. | Pirringurinn skemmir geðslag manns á morgnana. |
| The noise on the train disturbs one's peace of mind. | Hávaðinn í lestinni raskar hugarró manns. |
| The crowding on the bus disturbs one's mood. | Troðningurinn í strætó raskar geðslagi manns. |