skulu
Let's and Shall (Skulu)
Við skulum + infinitive means let's: Við skulum fara (Let's go). Ég skal makes a promise: Ég skal hjálpa þér (I'll help you).
How It Works
Forms. ég skal, þú skalt, hún skal, við skulum, þið skuluð, þau skulu. skulu is one of the preterite-present verbs, so the singular has no -ur. Its past subjunctive is skyldi.
Let's. Við skulum fara heim. (Let's go home.) Við skulum sjá til. (We'll see.) The first-person plural of the verb on its own is a shorter, livelier way to say the same thing: Förum! (Let's go!) Byrjum! (Let's start!) Some verbs change their vowel in this form: fara → förum.
I will (a promise). Ég skal hjálpa þér. (I'll help you.) Ég skal vaska upp. (I'll do the dishes.) This is an offer or promise. For a plan, use ætla að.
Orders and rules. Þú skalt ekki gleyma þessu. (Don't you forget this.) Signs and regulations state rules with skal and skulu: Hundar skulu vera í bandi (Dogs must be kept on a leash). See legal skal and ber.
Asking "shall we?" To turn a suggestion into a question, Icelandic usually uses eiga: Eigum við að fara? (Shall we go?) See eiga að.
No að. Like vilja, mega and munu, skulu takes the infinitive directly.
Examples (6)
- Við skulum fara heim.
Let's go home.
Word by Word: We shall go home.
- Förum!
Let's go!
Word by Word: Go-we!
The first-person plural alone works as let's.
- Ég skal hjálpa þér.
I'll help you.
Word by Word: I shall help you.
A promise or offer.
- Við skulum sjá til.
We'll see.
Word by Word: We shall see to.
- Þú skalt ekki gleyma þessu.
Don't you forget this.
Word by Word: You shall not forget this.
- Hundar skulu vera í bandi.
Dogs must be kept on a leash.
Word by Word: Dogs shall be in band.
A rule, as on a sign.
Common Mistakes
Adding að after skulu.
Við skulum að fara heim.Við skulum fara heim.skulu takes the infinitive directly, without að.
Using the singular form with við.
Við skal fara heim.Við skulum fara heim.With við, the form is skulum.
How It Connects
Learn This First
skulu builds on ætla að and the imperative.
Related Patterns
- eiga aðSupposed to (Eiga Að)
Eigum við að ...? is the usual way to ask shall we?
Level 2 - Verbs Like vita and kunna
skulu belongs to this group, which explains skal without -ur.
Level 4 - skuliFeelings About Facts (Skuli)
The subjunctive of skulu used after expressions of feeling.
Level 5 - Rules and Regulations (skal, ber)
How skal states obligations in laws and rules.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice skulu in Bubblegum
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