Setting the Scene with "Þegar"
To tell stories about your childhood or early schooling, you will often use the word þegar (when). This is typically followed by the simple past tense, such as var (was).
Modal Verbs in the Past Tense
When discussing childhood dreams, past abilities, or school rules, modal verbs are essential. In the past tense, these verbs often undergo a vowel change.
Here are the most common modal verbs and their past tense forms for the 1st and 3rd person singular (ég / hann / hún / það):
| Present | Past | Meaning |
|---|
| vilja | vildi | wanted to |
| kunna | kunni | knew how to / could |
| þurfa | þurfti | had to / needed to |
| mega | mátti | was allowed to |
| ætla | ætlaði | intended to |
Let's look at vilja (to want). Just like in the present tense, it links directly to the following infinitive verb without the word að (to).
When talking about early skills you had (or lacked), use kunna:
When expressing past obligations (having to do something), use þurfa. Remember that for plural subjects like við (we), the verb takes a plural ending, becoming þurftum.
To talk about past intentions or rules, use ætla and mega. With plural subjects, these become ætluðu and máttu.
Making Decisions
As you grew up and thought about the future, you had to make choices. The verb ákveða (to decide) is very useful for explaining your past ambitions. Its past tense form is ákvað (decided).