Strong verbs build their past subjunctive (viðtengingarháttur þátíðar) from their past plural stem by applying an i-mutation (vowel shift).
The ó, á, and o → æ Shift
If the past plural contains ó, á, or o, the vowel shifts to æ. Append the standard subjunctive endings (-i, -ir, -i, -um, -uð, -u).
- fara (past plural: fórum) → færi
- taka (tókum) → tæki
- sjá (sáum) → sæi
- sofa (sváfum) → svæfi
- koma (komum) → kæmi
- vera (vorum) → væri
| If the expedition took the sled, it would go faster. | Ef leiðangurinn tæki sleðann, færi hann hraðar. |
| The explorer would take the sled if the snow were deep. | Landkönnuðurinn tæki sleðann ef snjórinn væri djúpur. |
The u → y Shift
If the past plural contains a u, it shifts to y.
- finna (fundum) → fyndi
- detta (duttum) → dytti
- brjóta (brutum) → bryti
- hlaupa (hlupum) → hlypi
| If the explorer did not come with the sled, he would never find the supplies. | Ef landkönnuðurinn kæmi ekki með sleðanum, fyndi hann aldrei birgðirnar. |
| If the polar bear fell down into the crevasse, he would definitely be cold. | Ef ísbjörninn dytti ofan í sprunguna, væri honum örugglega kalt. |
Hypotheticals with Þótt
Just like ef (if), the conjunction þótt (although / even if) sets up hypothetical scenarios and triggers the past subjunctive.
If a strong verb's past plural already has a front vowel (like the é in héldum, from the verb halda), the vowel does not mutate further. It simply takes the subjunctive endings (héldi).
| The expedition would continue even if the storm broke the sled. | Leiðangurinn héldi áfram þótt stormurinn bryti sleðann. |
| Even if the storm were severe, the explorer would run away from the avalanche. | Þótt stormurinn væri slæmur, hlypi landkönnuðurinn burt frá snjóflóðinu. |
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