To describe an ongoing action or characteristic—like a "smiling" merchant or "fragrant" spices—Icelandic uses the present participle. You form it by taking the verb and replacing its infinitive ending (usually -a) with -andi.
For example:
- iða (to teem) becomes iðandi (teeming/bustling)
- heilla (to charm) becomes heillandi (charming)
- ilma (to be fragrant) becomes ilmandi (fragrant)
The Best Part: No Declension
Normally, Icelandic adjectives must agree with a noun's gender, number, and case. However, present participles used as adjectives are indeclinable.
A word ending in -andi stays exactly the same whether it describes a masculine, feminine, or neuter noun, and whether that noun is singular, plural, nominative, or dative. It never changes.
Let's look at how these are used to set the scene at a bustling market:
| The bustling human activity at the market is very charming. | Iðandi mannlífið á markaðnum er mjög heillandi. |
| The biggest bazaar is a colorful and charming place. | Stærsti basarinn er litríkur og heillandi staður. |
Describing People and Things
Because the -andi form is locked, you can focus purely on the noun's case without worrying about the adjective. Notice how brosandi (smiling), ilmandi (fragrant), and æpandi (shouting) remain entirely unchanged, even when the sentence requires an accusative object:
| A smiling merchant sells silk at the bazaar. | Brosandi kaupmaður selur silki á basarnum. |
| I need fragrant spices from this merchant. | Mig vantar ilmandi krydd frá þessum kaupmanni. |
| I hear a shouting man at the bazaar. | Ég heyri æpandi mann á basarnum. |
Plurals and Atmospheres
This rule applies to plurals just as reliably. You can easily use these active adjectives to describe the lively—or sometimes sleepy—inhabitants of the bazaar:
| We see singing musicians in the bustling crowd. | Við sjáum syngjandi tónlistarmenn í iðandi mannlífinu. |
| A sleeping cat lies on the colorful carpet. | Sofandi köttur liggur á litríka teppinu. |