ekki + Infinitive
Don't! (Ekki + Infinitive)
Ekki fara! (Don't go!) Put ekki first and then the plain infinitive, with no að.
How It Works
The pattern. ekki + infinitive, with no að in between:
- Ekki fara! (Don't go!)
- Ekki snerta! (Don't touch!)
- Ekki hafa áhyggjur. (Don't worry.)
- Ekki gleyma lyklunum! (Don't forget the keys!)
One form for everyone. The infinitive is the same whether you speak to one person or many, so Ekki hlaupa! works for one child or a whole class. Objects keep the case the verb needs: gleyma takes the dative, so it is lyklunum.
The full command. You can also use the imperative and put ekki after it: Farðu ekki! Gerðu þetta ekki! A short pronoun comes before ekki, just as in other sentences: Gerðu það ekki! (see Pronoun Before Ekki).
Tone. The ekki + infinitive pattern is common in speech, on signs and with children. It is short and direct but not rude. With adjectives, vera is used and the adjective agrees with the listener: Ekki vera hræddur (to a man or boy), Ekki vera hrædd (to a woman or girl).
Examples (6)
- Ekki gera þetta!
Don't do that!
Word by Word: Not do this!
- Ekki fara strax.
Don't leave yet.
Word by Word: Not go immediately.
- Ekki hafa áhyggjur.
Don't worry.
Word by Word: Not have worries.
- Ekki gleyma lyklunum!
Don't forget the keys!
Word by Word: Not forget the-keys!
gleyma takes the dative: lyklunum.
- Ekki vera hrædd.
Don't be scared. (to a woman or girl)
Word by Word: Not be scared.
- Gerðu það ekki!
Don't do it!
Word by Word: Do-you it not!
The full command, with the pronoun before ekki.
Common Mistakes
Putting að between ekki and the verb.
Ekki að fara!Ekki fara!The negative command uses the bare infinitive. Leave out að.
Using the command form after ekki.
Ekki farðu!Ekki fara!After a leading ekki, use the infinitive. If you want the command form, put ekki after it: Farðu ekki!
Putting a short pronoun after ekki in the full command.
Gerðu ekki það!Gerðu það ekki!A short unstressed pronoun such as það comes before ekki.
How It Connects
Learn This First
ekki + infinitive builds on the imperative and ekki.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
Practice ekki + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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