eins og + Subjunctive

As if (Eins Og)

Level 4

Mér líður eins og ég sé heima. (I feel as if I were at home.) The subjunctive sé shows that it is only how it feels.

How It Works

Like, as. With a noun or a real fact, eins og is a plain comparison:

  • Hún syngur eins og engill. (She sings like an angel.)
  • Eins og ég sagði í gær ... (As I said yesterday ...) This really happened, so the verb is indicative.

As if + subjunctive. When the clause is only imagined, the verb is in the subjunctive:

  • Það er eins og hann skilji ekki ensku. (It's as if he doesn't understand English.)
  • Hún lætur eins og hún sjái okkur ekki. (She acts as if she doesn't see us.)
  • Hann lét eins og hann vissi ekkert. (He acted as if he knew nothing.)

Present or past subjunctive. Both are used. The past subjunctive sounds more unreal: Mér líður eins og ég sé heima and Mér líður eins og ég væri heima both mean I feel as if I were at home. After a past main verb, use the past subjunctive: Hann lét eins og hann vissi ekkert.

Useful verbs. láta eins og (act as if), líta út eins og (look like, look as if), líða eins og (feel as if): Þú lítur út eins og þú hafir ekki sofið. (You look as if you haven't slept.)

For comparing two equal things, see eins ... og.

Examples (6)

  1. Hann lét eins og hann vissi ekkert.

    He acted as if he knew nothing.

    Word by Word: He let as if he knew nothing.

  2. Mér líður eins og ég sé heima.

    I feel as if I were at home.

    Word by Word: To-me feels as if I be home.

  3. Það er eins og hann skilji ekki ensku.

    It's as if he doesn't understand English.

    Word by Word: It is as if he understand not English.

  4. Hún lætur eins og hún sjái okkur ekki.

    She acts as if she doesn't see us.

    Word by Word: She lets as if she see us not.

  5. Þú lítur út eins og þú hafir ekki sofið.

    You look as if you haven't slept.

    Word by Word: You look out as if you have not slept.

  6. Eins og ég sagði í gær er fundurinn klukkan tvö.

    As I said yesterday, the meeting is at two.

    Word by Word: As I said in yesterday is the-meeting clock two.

    A real fact, so sagði is indicative.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the indicative for as if.

    Hún lætur eins og hún sér okkur ekki.
    Hún lætur eins og hún sjái okkur ekki.

    She does see us; she only acts as if she doesn't. An imagined situation after eins og takes the subjunctive: sjái.

  • Using the indicative for a feeling that is not real.

    Mér líður eins og ég er heima.
    Mér líður eins og ég sé heima.

    You are not at home; it only feels that way. Use the subjunctive sé or væri.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

eins og + SubjunctiveLevel 4As if (Eins Og)

Learn This First

eins og + subjunctive builds on eins ... og and the past subjunctive.

Words in This Pattern

eins ogeins