Adjectives

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Strong Adjectives

Used when no article or pronoun is present.


Ríkur (rich, strong, powerful)

        M               F               N

N       ríkur           rík             ríkt
A       ríkan           ríka            ríkt
D       ríkum           ríkri           ríku
G       ríks            ríkrar          ríks


                Plural

        M               F               N

N       ríkir           ríkar           rík
A       ríka            ríkar           rík
D       ríkum           ríkum           ríkum
G       ríkra           ríkra           ríkra

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Boginn (bent, curved)

                Singular

        M               F               N

N       boginn          bogin           bogið
A       boginn          bogna           bogið
D       bognum          boginni         bognu
G       bogins          boginnar        bogins


                Plural

        M               F               N

N       bognir          bognar          bogin
A       bogna           bognar          bogin
D       bognum          bognum          bognum
G       boginna         boginna         boginna

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Weak Adjectives

Used when there is an article or pronoun present.

                Singular

        M               F               N

N       ríki            ríka            ríka
A       ríka            ríku            ríka
D       ríka            ríku            ríka
G       ríka            ríku            ríka


                Plural

        M               F               N

N       ríku            ríku            riku
A       ríku            ríku            riku
D       ríku            ríku            riku
G       ríku            ríku            riku

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Comparison of Adjectives


The Comparative Form

Regular comparison takes the stem of the adjective and adds "-ari". There are two main variations:

  1. Stem + "-ri", e.g. nýr - nýrri (new - newer);

  2. Stem + "-ri" + root vowel change, e.g. stór - stærri (big - bigger).

It is declinable in the weak form only.

                Singular

        M               F               N

N       ríkari          ríkari          ríkara
A       ríkari          ríkari          ríkara
D       ríkari          ríkari          ríkara
G       ríkari          ríkari          ríkara


                Plural

        M               F               N

N       ríkari          ríkari          ríkari
A       ríkari          ríkari          ríkari
D       ríkari          ríkari          ríkari
G       ríkari          ríkari          ríkari

Note: The Comparative governs the Dative case, e.g.

Bjarni er flestum mönnum fróðrari. (Bjarni is more learned than most men.)

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The Superlative Form

Regular superlative takes the stem of the adjective and adds "-astur". There is one main variation:

  1. Stem + "-stur" + root vowel change, e.g. stór - stærstur (big - biggest); ungur - yngstur (young - youngest).

It is declinable in both strong and weak forms.

                Strong

        M               F               N

        ríkastur        ríkust          ríkast


                Weak

        M               F               N

        ríkasti         ríkasta         ríkasta

Note: The Superlative governs the Genitive case, e.g.

Hún er fegurst allra kvenna. (She is the most beautiful of all women.)

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Irregular Comparison


Adjectives with Irregular Comparisons

Normal          Comparative     Superlative

gamall          eldri           elstur  (old)
góður           betri           bestur  (good)
lítill          minni           minnstur(little)
margur          fleiri          flestur (many)
mikill          meiri           mestur  (great, large)
illur           verri           verstur (bad)
slæmur          verri           verstur (bad)
vondur          verri           verstur (bad)

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Adjectives with no Normal Forms

Certain adjectives exist only in the Comparative and Superlative Forms. Non-existent Normal forms are given in brackets.

Normal          Comparative     Superlative

(norður)        nyðri           nyrstur         (North) 
(suður)         syðri           syðstur         (South)
(austur)        eystri          austastur       (East)
(vestur)        vestri          vestastur       (West)

(aftur)         aftari          aftastur        (back)
(fram)          fremri          fremstur        (front)
(nær)           nærri           næstur          (near)

(for,fyrir)     fyrri           fyrstur         (for/former/first)
(síð)           síðari          síðastur        (latest)
(síð)           síðri           sístur          (worst)

(heldur)        heldri          helstur         (good)
(hægur)         hægri              -            (right)
(  -  )         vinstri            -            (left)

(inn)           innri           innstur         (inner/innermost)
(út)            ytri            ystur           (outer/outermost)
(niður)         neðri           neðstur         (low)
(of)            efri            efstur          (up)

(sjaldan)       sjaldnari       sjaldnastur     (rare)

                (hindri)        hinstur          (late)
                skárri          skástur         (bearable)
                æðri            æðstur           (superior/supreme)

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Non-Declinable Adjectives

A small number of adjectives are not declinable, most end in "-a":

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