"Svona" and "Þannig"
When you want to say "like this," "like that," or "such," Icelandic uses two handy words: svona and þannig.
- Svona translates to "like this" or "such (as this)."
- Þannig translates to "like that" or "such (as that)."
Both words are invariable. They never change form, regardless of the gender, number, or case of the noun they describe.
Using "Svona" (Like This / Such)
Place svona directly before a noun (or adjective) to describe situations, behaviors, or trends.
| This is such an unusual fad. | Þetta er svona óvenjuleg tískubóla. |
| We do not understand such silly stunts. | Við skiljum ekki svona asnaleg uppátæki. |
Notice how svona doesn't change, whether the noun is a singular feminine word like tískubóla (fad) or a plural neuter word like uppátæki (stunt).
| Such phenomena are very widespread on the internet. | Svona fyrirbæri eru mjög útbreidd á netinu. |
| Such a challenge is way too widespread. | Svona áskorun er alltof útbreidd. |
Using "Þannig" (Like That / Such)
Þannig works the exact same way for things that are slightly more distant or abstract.
| Such stunts are too silly to try. | Þannig uppátæki eru of asnaleg til að prófa. |
| They intend to criticize such challenges. | Þær ætla að gagnrýna þannig áskoranir. |
Even when prepositions force the noun into the genitive or dative case, these determiners remain unchanged.
| They are famous because of such videos. | Þau eru fræg vegna svona myndbanda. |
| Without such popularity, the challenge is boring. | Án þannig vinsælda er áskorunin leiðinleg. |
Finally, you can use þannig and svona as standalone descriptors to simply say that something is "like that" or "like this."
| The effects are just like that now. | Áhrifin eru bara þannig núna. |
