Supine or Participle?

Level 4

Ég hef skrifað bréfin. (I have written the letters.) Bréfin voru skrifuð. (The letters were written.)

How It Works

Same verb, two forms. For most verbs, the supine looks exactly like the neuter singular of the participle, so the difference shows with other subjects:

  • Ég hef þýtt bókina. (I have translated the book.) Supine þýtt.
  • Bókin var þýdd á ensku. (The book was translated into English.) Feminine þýdd.
  • Hann hefur selt bílinn. (He has sold the car.) Supine selt.
  • Bíllinn er seldur. (The car is sold.) Masculine seldur.

Participle forms. In the nominative, the participle takes adjective endings: skrifaður, skrifuð, skrifað in the singular and skrifaðir, skrifaðar, skrifuð in the plural. A strong verb: farinn, farin, farið; plural farnir, farnar, farin. See past participles as adjectives.

The passive perfect uses both. Bréfin hafa verið skrifuð. (The letters have been written.) verið comes after hafa, so it is a supine and never changes. skrifuð comes after vera, so it agrees with bréfin.

Verbs of movement. Some verbs of movement can go with either verb, with a different meaning. Hún hefur farið til Íslands. (She has been to Iceland.) Hún er farin. (She has left and is gone.) See vera kominn.

Dative objects. When a verb has a dative object, the passive keeps the dative and uses the neuter singular: Honum var hjálpað. See the passive with the dative.

Examples (6)

  1. Ég hef skrifað bréfin.

    I have written the letters.

    Word by Word: I have written the letters.

    skrifað does not change for bréfin.

  2. Bréfin voru skrifuð í gær.

    The letters were written yesterday.

    Word by Word: The letters were written yesterday.

    bréf is neuter, so the plural participle is skrifuð.

  3. Ég hef þýtt bókina.

    I have translated the book.

    Word by Word: I have translated the book.

  4. Bókin hefur verið þýdd á mörg tungumál.

    The book has been translated into many languages.

    Word by Word: The book has been translated on many languages.

    verið after hafa never changes; þýdd agrees with bókin.

  5. Bíllinn er seldur.

    The car is sold.

    Word by Word: The car is sold.

  6. Hún er farin heim.

    She has gone home.

    Word by Word: She is gone home.

    With some verbs of movement, vera + participle says someone has left. farin agrees with hún.

Common Mistakes

  • Making the supine agree with the object.

    Ég hef skrifuð bréfin.
    Ég hef skrifað bréfin.

    After hafa the supine never changes, whatever the object is.

  • Using the supine after vera.

    Bréfin voru skrifað í gær.
    Bréfin voru skrifuð í gær.

    After vera the participle agrees with the subject. bréfin is neuter plural, so use skrifuð.

  • Putting an agreeing participle after hafa.

    Hún hefur farin heim.
    Hún er farin heim.

    hafa needs the supine: Hún hefur farið. To say that she has left and is gone, use vera and the participle that agrees with her: Hún er farin heim.

How It Connects

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Supine or Participle?Level 4

Learn This First

Supine or participle builds on the passive.

Words in This Pattern

hafaveraverða