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Icelandic

In spoken and casual written Icelandic, the subject pronoun *þú* (you) rarely stands alone when it follows a verb. Instead, it attaches to the end of the verb, merging into a single word. 

This cliticization (merging) is extremely common in **questions** (where the verb comes first) and **commands**.

### The Suffixes: *-ðu*, *-du*, and *-tu*
When *þú* attaches to a verb, it transforms into a suffix. The first letter of the suffix changes to match the final sound of the verb it attaches to.

| Suffix | Used after | Examples in this lesson |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **-ðu** | Vowels and voiced consonants (like *r*, *g*, *f*) | *sérðu*, *keyrirðu*, *stígðu* |
| **-du** | Voiced nasal/lateral consonants (*l*, *m*, *n*) | *heyrdu* (hear) |
| **-tu** | Voiceless consonants (like *s*, *t*, *k*, *p*) | *manstu*, *settu*, *láttu* |

### Asking Questions
To ask a question in Icelandic, you invert the subject and the verb. Because the verb now comes first, *þú* immediately follows it and merges.

Notice how *sér þú* (do you see) becomes *sérðu*:

{{item:1054197}}

Because the verb *manst* (remember) ends in an *s* and a *t*, the attached pronoun takes the voiceless *-tu* ending, becoming *manstu*:

{{item:1054202}}

{{item:1054213}}

### Giving Commands (The Imperative)
When you give instructions, such as during a driving lesson, you use the imperative mood. In Icelandic, imperative verbs are almost entirely built using these same attached *þú* endings on the stem of the verb.

Here, *setja* (to put) becomes *settu*, and *stíga* (to step) becomes *stígðu*:

{{item:1054200}}

{{item:1054204}}

Commands are often fired off quickly in sequence, especially when driving. Watch for how both the question forms and command forms use the exact same merging rules:

{{item:1054209}}

{{item:1054219}}

Pronoun cliticization in questions and commands (-ðu, -du, -tu)

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 rearview mirror	baksýnisspegillinn
Do you see the rearview mirror?	Sérðu baksýnisspegilinn?
the gear	gírinn
the clutch	kúplingin
Put the car in gear and step on the clutch.	Settu bílinn í gír og stígðu á kúplinguna.
the turn signal	stefnuljósið
Do you remember how you use the turn signal?	Manstu hvernig þú notar stefnuljósið?
the crosswalk	gangbrautin
Stop and let the people cross the crosswalk.	Stoppaðu og láttu fólkið ganga yfir gangbrautina.
the gas pedal	bensíngjöfin
the speed	hraðinn
Step slowly on the gas pedal and watch the speed.	Stígðu hægt á bensíngjöfina og passaðu hraðann.
the traffic light	umferðarljósið
Do you see the traffic light? Step on the brake now!	Sérðu umferðarljósið? Stígðu á bremsuna núna!
the lane	akgreinin
the side mirror	hliðarspegillinn
Do you want to change lanes? Look in the side mirror first.	Viltu skipta um akgrein? Líttu fyrst í hliðarspegilinn.
Are you driving them home at a quarter past three?	Keyrirðu þau heim klukkan korter yfir þrjú?
Step on the clutch and change gears.	Stígðu á kúplinguna og skiptu um gír.
Let them walk across the crosswalk because the traffic light is red.	Láttu þau ganga yfir gangbrautina af því að umferðarljósið er rautt.
Watch the speed and look in the rearview mirror again.	Passaðu hraðann og líttu aftur í baksýnisspegilinn.
Did you forget to use the turn signal when you changed lanes?	Gleymdirðu að nota stefnuljósið þegar þú skiptir um akgrein?
Step on the gas pedal now, the traffic light is green!	Stígðu á bensíngjöfina núna, umferðarljósið er grænt!
Look in the side mirror!	Horfðu í hliðarspegilinn!