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Icelandic

### Object Pronoun Shift

With sentence adverbs like *ekki* (not), *aldrei* (never), and *alltaf* (always), regular noun objects usually come *after* the adverb (e.g., *Ég sé ekki bókina*).

But if the object is an unstressed pronoun (like *það*, *hann*, *hana*, or *okkur*), it shifts **before** the adverb. This is called pronoun shift, and it applies strictly in main clauses.

{{item:1071014}}

{{item:1071015}}

This shift happens with all personal pronouns. Watch how the masculine pronoun *hann* (him/it) jumps in front of *aldrei* (never):

{{item:1071017}}

### Shift with Inverted Word Order

Because Icelandic is a V2 language (the verb is the second element), starting a clause with a linking word or introductory phrase pushes the subject immediately after the verb. 

When this happens, the object pronoun follows the subject, but it still stays in front of the adverb. Notice the resulting word order: Verb - Subject - Pronoun - Adverb.

{{item:1071020}}

### Feminine and Dative Pronouns

Pronoun shift applies to all genders and cases. Here is the feminine accusative pronoun *hana* (her/it):

{{item:1071021}}

Verbs like *framvísa* (to present) and *smygla* (to smuggle) take dative objects. Their pronouns (*henni*, *honum*, *því*) behave exactly the same way:

{{item:1071027}}

{{item:1071036}}

Object pronoun placement (það ekki)

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
the customs officer	tollvörðurinn
The customs officer does not see it.	Tollvörðurinn sér það ekki.
The customs officer always stops us, doesn't he?	Tollvörðurinn stoppar okkur alltaf, er það ekki?
the cigar	vindillinn
The cigar is expensive. I never smoke it.	Vindillinn er dýr. Ég reyki hann aldrei.
The customs officer finds the cigar. We do not hide it.	Tollvörðurinn finnur vindilinn. Við felum hann ekki.
the quantity	magnið
The quantity is too much, therefore we do not take it.	Magnið er of mikið, þess vegna tökum við það ekki.
The fine is high. We never reduce it.	Sektin er há. Við minnkum hana aldrei.
the quota	kvótinn
The quota is small. We do not increase it.	Kvótinn er lítill. Við hækkum hann ekki.
Do you understand the quota? They never explain it.	Skilur þú kvótann? Þeir útskýra hann aldrei.
subject to customs duty	tollskyldur
to present	framvísa
Is the computer subject to customs duty? I always present it.	Er tölvan tollskyld? Ég framvísa henni alltaf.
The dress is subject to customs duty. We do not hide it.	Kjóllinn er tollskyldur. Við felum hann ekki.
The passport is here. I always present it.	Vegabréfið er hérna. Ég framvísa því alltaf.
We come from there. Why do they not inspect us?	Við komum þaðan. Af hverju skoða þeir okkur ekki?
the firearm	skotvopnið
illegal	ólöglegur
to smuggle	smygla
The firearm is illegal. We never smuggle it.	Skotvopnið er ólöglegt. Við smyglum því aldrei.
This is illegal, therefore they do not sell it.	Þetta er ólöglegt, þess vegna selja þeir það ekki.
The beer is expensive. We sometimes smuggle it.	Bjórinn er dýr. Við smyglum honum stundum.
He smuggles the gold, even so we never stop him.	Hann smyglar gullinu, samt stoppum við hann aldrei.
I see the firearm. She never uses it.	Ég sé skotvopnið. Hún notar það aldrei.
confiscated	upptækur
They confiscate the firearm. We do not get it back.	Þeir gera skotvopnið upptækt. Við fáum það ekki til baka.
The bag is open. The customs officer just looks at it.	Taskan er opin. Tollvörðurinn skoðar hana bara.
Is the luggage subject to customs duty? We always inspect it.	Er farangurinn tollskyldur? Við skoðum hann alltaf.
The customs officer checks the quantity, but he does not confiscate it.	Tollvörðurinn skoðar magnið, en hann gerir það ekki upptækt.