Present Tense: a-Verbs (tala)
A-verbs like tala (speak) end in -a or -ar in the singular: ég tala, þú talar, hún talar.
How It Works
A-verbs are the biggest group of regular verbs. You can spot them by their past tense in -aði: tala → talaði. See past tense in -aði.
tala (to speak):
- ég tala
- þú talar
- hann, hún, hán, það talar
- við tölum
- þið talið
- þeir, þær, þau tala
Two things to notice. The ég form looks the same as the infinitive, and þú and hún share the form in -ar.
The a-to-ö change. The við ending -um has a u, and it changes an a in the stem to ö: tala → við tölum, kalla → við köllum, dansa → við dönsum, vakna → við vöknum. Verbs without a in the stem just add the ending: borða → við borðum. See u-umlaut.
In questions, þú joins the verb: talar þú → talarðu, as in joined forms.
Examples (6)
- Talarðu íslensku?
Do you speak Icelandic?
Word by Word: Speak-you Icelandic?
- Hún borðar fisk á hverjum degi.
She eats fish every day.
Word by Word: She eats fish on every day.
- Við tölum saman á morgun.
We'll talk tomorrow.
Word by Word: We talk together tomorrow.
Tala becomes tölum in the við form.
- Hvað kallarðu þetta?
What do you call this?
Word by Word: What call-you this?
- Þau dansa mjög vel.
They dance very well.
Word by Word: They dance very well.
- Við vöknum snemma.
We wake up early.
Word by Word: We wake early.
Vakna becomes vöknum.
Common Mistakes
Keeping a before -um.
Við talum íslensku.Við tölum íslensku.The u in -um turns an a in the stem into ö: tala → tölum.
Adding -ar to the ég form.
Ég talar ensku.Ég tala ensku.The ég form of an a-verb has no -r. It looks just like the infinitive.
Leaving out -r for hún or hann.
Hún tala ensku.Hún talar ensku.Hann, hún and þú all take -ar.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Present-tense endings follow the personal pronouns.
Related Patterns
- Present Tense: i-Verbs (læra)
I-verbs like læra use -i, -ir, -ir in the singular instead.
Level 1 - Present Tense With a Vowel Change
Strong verbs like fara change their vowel in the singular.
Level 1 - Vowel Change: a → öThe A-to-Ö Change
The change tala → tölum is the a-to-ö change.
Level 3 - Past Tense in -aði
The same verbs form their past tense with -aði: talaði.
Level 2 - ertu / viltu / talarðuJoined Forms (Ertu, Viltu, Talarðu)
Talarðu is talar þú joined together.
Level 1 - tala + LanguageSpeaking a Language
Tala is used with a language in the accusative: Ég tala íslensku.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Present Tense: a-Verbs (tala) in Bubblegum
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