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Icelandic

In Icelandic, certain verbs are tightly bound to specific prepositions. When you use these verb-preposition pairs, the preposition dictates the grammatical case of the noun that follows it.

### Waiting and Worrying (Dative)

The verb **bíða** (to wait) pairs with the preposition **eftir** (for). Similarly, **kvíða** (to be anxious about) pairs with **fyrir** (about/before). In these contexts, both **eftir** and **fyrir** force the following noun into the dative case.

Let's look at how these work, alongside the useful adjective **þolinmóður** (patient).

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### Looking Forward (Genitive)

When you want to say you are looking forward to an upcoming event, you use **hlakka til**. The preposition **til** is a strict word in Icelandic: it always forces the following noun into the genitive case.

Here it is paired with the adjective **spenntur** (excited). Notice how the nouns **jólin** (the Christmas) and **heimsóknin** (the visit) change to their genitive forms (**jólanna** and **heimsóknarinnar**).

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### Looking Forward to an Action

If you are looking forward to *doing* something rather than looking forward to a *thing*, the rules are much simpler. You don't need to worry about noun cases at all. Instead, just follow the preposition with the word **að** and the infinitive form of the verb.

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Verbs with fixed prepositions (hlakka til, bíða eftir)

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 mail	pósturinn
I am waiting for the mail.	Ég er að bíða eftir póstinum.
patient	þolinmóður
the visit	heimsóknin
The man is patient and waits for the visit.	Maðurinn er þolinmóður og bíður eftir heimsókninni.
to be anxious about	kvíða fyrir
the results	úrslitin
We are waiting for the mail but we are anxious about the results.	Við bíðum eftir póstinum en við kvíðum fyrir úrslitunum.
excited	spenntur
to look forward to	hlakka til
the Christmas	jólin
The boy is excited and looks forward to Christmas.	Strákurinn er spenntur og hlakkar til jólanna.
Are you looking forward to the visit tomorrow?	Hlakkar þú til heimsóknarinnar á morgun?
the Easter	páskarnir
The children are excited and look forward to Easter.	Börnin eru spennt og hlakka til páskanna.
the gift	gjöfin
I am looking forward to opening the gift at Christmas.	Ég hlakka til að opna gjöfina um jólin.
Few children are patient when they wait for the gift.	Fá börn eru þolinmóð þegar þau bíða eftir gjöfinni.
Both the teachers are anxious about the results.	Báðir kennararnir kvíða fyrir úrslitunum.
Are you anxious about the exam at Easter?	Kvíðir þú fyrir prófinu um páskana?
the matter, the case	málið
The matter is very important.	Málið er mjög mikilvægt.
I do not understand the matter.	Ég skil ekki málið.

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