Delegating Tasks with Biðja
When running a catering event, you often need to delegate tasks. In English, we say "ask [someone] to [do something]." In Icelandic, we do not use the verb for asking a question (spyrja). Instead, we use the verb biðja (to ask or request) combined with the phrase um að.
The basic formula for an indirect command is: biðja + [Accusative Object] + um að + [Infinitive Verb]
| I want to ask you to serve the refreshments. | Mig langar að biðja þig um að framreiða veitingarnar. |
| The boss asks me to chill the welcome drink. | Yfirmaðurinn biður mig um að kæla fordrykkinn. |
Different Tenses of Biðja
The verb biðja changes depending on who is asking and when. In the present tense, you will frequently see bið (I ask) or biður (he/she/it asks). If the request has already been made, you can use the perfect tense with the helping verb hafa (to have) and the past participle beðið.
| The host has asked the waiter to put the tablecloth on the table. | Gestgjafinn hefur beðið þjóninn um að setja dúkinn á borðið. |
The Accusative Object
The person receiving the command—the one being asked to do the task—must always be in the accusative case. For pronouns, this means using forms like mig (me), þig (you), hann (him), hana (her), or okkur (us).
| We ask him to carry the tray and the ice inside. | Við biðjum hann um að bera bakkann og klakann inn. |
If you are asking a specific person by their title or name, such as a waiter (þjónn), that noun must also take its accusative form (þjóninn).
| She asks the waiter to arrange the napkins on the table. | Hún biður þjóninn um að raða servíettunum á borðið. |