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Icelandic

### 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]

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### 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**.

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### 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).

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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**).

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Indirect commands (biðja um að)

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
to serve	framreiða
the refreshments	veitingarnar
I want to ask you to serve the refreshments.	Mig langar að biðja þig um að framreiða veitingarnar.
to chill	kæla
the welcome drink	fordrykkurinn
The boss asks me to chill the welcome drink.	Yfirmaðurinn biður mig um að kæla fordrykkinn.
the host	gestgjafinn
I do not know whether the host asks us to chill the refreshments.	Ég veit ekki hvort gestgjafinn biður okkur um að kæla veitingarnar.
the tablecloth	dúkurinn
The host has asked the waiter to put the tablecloth on the table.	Gestgjafinn hefur beðið þjóninn um að setja dúkinn á borðið.
the tray	bakkinn
the ice (substance, e.g., ice cubes)	klakinn
We ask him to carry the tray and the ice inside.	Við biðjum hann um að bera bakkann og klakann inn.
to arrange	raða
the napkin	servíettan
She asks the waiter to arrange the napkins on the table.	Hún biður þjóninn um að raða servíettunum á borðið.
The host asks you to serve the welcome drink on this tray.	Gestgjafinn biður þig um að framreiða fordrykkinn á þessum bakka.
I want to put the tablecloth on the table and arrange the napkins.	Mig langar að setja dúkinn á borðið og raða servíettunum.
Does the chef ask her to put the ice in the glass?	Biður kokkurinn hana um að setja klakann í glasið?
They have asked us twice to chill the refreshments!	Þau hafa beðið okkur tvisvar um að kæla veitingarnar!