Rules and Regulations (skal, ber)
Umsóknum skal skilað eigi síðar en 1. október. (Applications must be submitted no later than 1 October.) Ökumanni ber að virða hámarkshraða. (Drivers must obey the speed limit.)
How It Works
skal: the rule. In laws and regulations, skal (plural skulu) states what must happen. It often goes with a passive:
- Umsóknum skal skilað eigi síðar en 1. október. (Applications must be submitted no later than 1 October.)
- Hver sá sem brýtur gegn lögum þessum skal sæta sektum. (Anyone who breaks this law shall be fined.)
The dative stays. skila takes a dative object, so the passive keeps the dative: Umsóknum skal skilað, as in dative passive. With no subject at all, the infinitive can move in front of skal, as in stylistic fronting: Gæta skal varúðar (Care must be taken).
ber að: the duty. bera in this sense takes a dative subject: e-m ber að gera e-ð (someone is required to do something).
- Ökumanni ber að virða hámarkshraða. (Drivers must obey the speed limit.)
- Leigjanda ber að ganga vel um húsnæðið. (The tenant must take good care of the premises.)
More official phrases. Óheimilt er að … (It is prohibited to …), Heimilt er að … (It is permitted to …), Skylt er að … (It is mandatory to …). Official texts also use eigi for not.
Everyday equivalents. In speech, people say eiga að or verða að: Þú átt að skila umsókninni fyrir 1. október.
Examples (6)
- Umsóknum skal skilað eigi síðar en 1. október.
Applications must be submitted no later than 1 October.
Word by Word: Applications(DAT) shall submitted not later than 1st October.
skila takes a dative object, so the passive keeps umsóknum in the dative.
- Ökumanni ber að virða hámarkshraða.
Drivers must obey the speed limit.
Word by Word: Driver(DAT) bears to respect max-speed.
- Hver sá sem brýtur gegn lögum þessum skal sæta sektum.
Anyone who breaks this law shall be fined.
Word by Word: Each that-one who breaks against laws these shall suffer fines.
- Leigjanda ber að ganga vel um húsnæðið.
The tenant must take good care of the premises.
Word by Word: Tenant(DAT) bears to walk well about the-premises.
- Óheimilt er að leggja bílum á gangstétt.
Parking cars on the pavement is prohibited.
Word by Word: Unpermitted is to lay cars on pavement.
- Skylt er að nota bílbelti.
Wearing a seat belt is mandatory.
Word by Word: Obligatory is to use seat-belt.
Common Mistakes
Using a nominative subject with ber.
Ökumaður ber að virða hámarkshraða.Ökumanni ber að virða hámarkshraða.In the sense of being required, bera takes a dative subject: ökumanni.
Changing a dative object to a nominative in the passive.
Umsóknir skulu skilaðar eigi síðar en 1. október.Umsóknum skal skilað eigi síðar en 1. október.skila takes the dative, and the passive keeps it. The verb then stays singular: skal skilað.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Legal skal builds on skulu and registers.
Related Patterns
- The Passive Keeps the Dative
Umsóknum skal skilað keeps the dative in the passive.
Level 4 - eiga aðSupposed to (Eiga Að)
The everyday way to say someone is supposed to do something.
Level 2 - verða aðMust (Verða Að)
The everyday way to say something must happen.
Level 2 - Impersonal Passive (það var dansað)
Rules often have no subject: Gæta skal varúðar.
Level 4 - eigiFormal Not (Eigi)
Official texts use eigi for not, as in eigi síðar en.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice Rules and Regulations (skal, ber) in Bubblegum
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