Adverbs

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Adverbs Derived From Adjectives

Many adverbs are formed from the stem of the corresponding adjective by adding the -a suffix.

E.g.

regluleg/ur (regular) gives regluleg/a (regularly);

drengileg/ur (brave) gives drengileg/a (bravely), etc.

Such adverbs have degrees of comparison:

prýðilega -- prýðilegar -- prýðilegast

Some have different suffixes:

lengi -- lengur -- lengst -- for a long while;

fram -- fremur -- fremst -- forward/preferably/most of all;

nærri -- nær -- næst -- nearly/almost/next. Back to the Top.

Neuter Adjectives Used As Adverbs

Some adjectives in the neuter form are used directly as adverbs. Examples are given below, together with methods of comparison. 

bágt    -       bágar/a         -       bágast  (difficult)
hart    -       harðar/a        -       harðast (hard)
hátt    -       hærra           -       hæst    (highly)
langt   -       lengra          -       lengst  (long, far)
seint   -       seinna          -       seinast (late)

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Irregular Comparison of Adverbs

gjarna/n        -       heldur  -       helst   (gladly/willingly)
illa            -       verr    -       verst   (badly)
lítt            -       miður   -       minnst  (little)
lítið           -       minna   -       minnst  (little)
mjög            -       meir    -       mest    (very)
snemma          -       fyrr    -       fyrst   (soon/early)
vel             -       betur   -       best    (well)

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Adverbs of Time

nú/þá/lengi -- now/then/for a long time;

aldrei/sjaldan/stundum/oft/(alltaf/ávalt) -- never/seldom/sometimes/often/always.

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Adverbs of Place

hingað -- hér/na -- héðan -- to here (hither) / here / from here (hence);

þangað -- þar/na -- þaðan -- to there (thither) / there / from there (thence);

hvert -- hvar -- hvaðan -- where to (whither) / where / where from (whence);.

úti -- inni – outside/inside (signifying location, e.g. Ég er úti);

út – inn – out/in (signifying movement, e.g. Ég fer út)

ofan -- undan -- fyrir -- heima -- down(from above) / from below / in front of / at home.

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Adverbs of Manner and Degree

vel -- well;

illa -- badly;

þannig -- thus;

hvernig -- how;

svona -- thus;

svo -- so;

mjög -- very;

alveg -- quite.

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Adverbs of Cause

hvers vegna -- why;

þess vegna -- therefore.

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Adverbs of Adversity

þó -- however;

samt -- yet;

þar á mót/i -- on the other hand;

annars -- or else, otherwise.

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Affirmative Adverbs

já, jú -- yes (jú is used to deny negative statements or questions);

sannlega, sannarlega -- indeed, really;

vissulega, vist -- certainly;

raunar -- really.

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Negative Adverbs

nei -- no;

ekki, eigi -- not.

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