The Simple Past Suffixes
Most Icelandic verbs are "weak" and form the past tense by adding -di, -ti, or -ði to the verb stem. For ég (I) and hann/hún/það (he/she/it), the ending is simply the suffix plus -i.
The suffix depends on the stem's final sound:
Use -di after voiced consonants like l, m, or n (e.g., gleyma → gleymdi, hringja → hringdi).
| The woman called me recently. | Konan hringdi nýlega í mig. |
| Yesterday I forgot to call him. | Í gær gleymdi ég að hringja í hann. |
Use -ti after voiceless consonants like k, p, t, or s (e.g., kíkja → kíkti).
| I checked the email yesterday. | Ég kíkti á tölvupóstinn í gær. |
Use -ði after g, r, f, or a vowel (e.g., byggja → byggði).
| They built the house recently. | Þeir byggðu húsið nýlega. |
Other Pronouns
To conjugate for plural pronouns, drop the singular -i and add the plural endings:
- við: -um (e.g., reyndum)
- þið: -uð (e.g., reynduð)
- þeir/þær/þau: -u (e.g., byggðu)
| We tried to check the message. | Við reyndum að kíkja á skilaboðin. |
For þú (you, singular), add -r to the singular form (e.g., -dir, -tir, -ðir).
| Did you hear what he asked? | Heyrðir þú hvað hann spurði? |
Stem Changes
Watch for verbs whose stem ends in d or ð—they often merge with the past tense suffix. For example, þýða (to mean) becomes þýddi.
| The teacher taught me what the word meant. | Kennarinn kenndi mér hvað orðið þýddi. |
| I was tired and forgot to read the email. | Ég var þreyttur og gleymdi að lesa tölvupóstinn. |
| My grandfather built this house. | Afi minn byggði þetta hús. |
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