Promises and Offers with skulu
When you want to make a firm promise, an offer, or state a strong intention, Icelandic uses the modal verb skulu. In English, this translates closely to "shall" or "promise to". Because it is a formal and decisive word, it is especially common in business negotiations, legal contracts, and when making firm commitments.
Like other modal verbs in Icelandic, skulu is followed directly by a bare infinitive (the dictionary form of the verb without the word að).
Here is how skulu is conjugated in the present tense:
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| ég | skal |
| þú | skalt |
| hann / hún / það | skal |
| við | skulum |
| þið | skuluð |
| þeir / þær / þau | skulu |
Use ég skal to make personal promises or firm offers during a negotiation:
| I shall write the draft tomorrow. | Ég skal skrifa uppkastið á morgun. |
| I shall raise the discount for you. | Ég skal hækka afsláttinn fyrir þig. |
Use við skulum when making a joint decision or suggesting a firm course of action:
| We shall talk about this business now. | Við skulum tala um þessi viðskipti núna. |
| We shall lower the fee immediately. | Við skulum lækka gjaldið strax. |
In formal contexts, such as corporate contracts and legal documents, skulu is used to state strict obligations and requirements for the parties involved:
| The party shall accept the draft today. | Aðilinn skal samþykkja uppkastið í dag. |
| You shall sign the addendum tomorrow. | Þið skuluð undirrita viðaukann á morgun. |
