Vowel Change: a → ö
The A-to-Ö Change
An a becomes ö before a syllable with u: tala → við tölum, saga → sögu, barn → börnum, land → lönd.
How It Works
Where you see it
- Verbs with -um: tala → við tölum, kalla → við köllum (Present Tense: A-Verbs).
- Feminine nouns in -a: saga → sögu, taska → tösku (Feminine Nouns in -a).
- The dative plural -um: barn → börnum, dagur → dögum, land → löndum.
- Adjectives: kaldur → köldum, gamall → gömlum.
Two syllables with a
When the next syllable has u, the a before it changes too, but an unstressed a becomes u, not ö: kalla → við kölluðum, tala → við töluðum (Past Tense in -aði).
When the u is gone
Some forms keep ö even though no u is visible. The u was there in older Icelandic:
- Neuter plurals: land → lönd, barn → börn (Neuter Nouns Like Hús).
- Some adjective forms: gamall → gömul (feminine singular and neuter plural).
When it does not happen
The nominative ending -ur does not change the a: dagur, hattur, kaldur, not dögur. And when the u is gone again, a comes back: saga, sögu but the genitive plural sagna.
Examples (6)
- Við tölum íslensku.
We speak Icelandic.
Word by Word: We speak Icelandic.
The ending -um turns tala into tölum.
- Hún sagði mér sögu.
She told me a story.
Word by Word: She told me story.
- Ég gaf börnunum ís.
I gave the children ice cream.
Word by Word: I gave the-children ice-cream.
- Við höfum búið í mörgum löndum.
We have lived in many countries.
Word by Word: We have lived in many countries.
Both margur and land change a to ö before -um.
- Við kölluðum á hundinn.
We called the dog.
Word by Word: We called on the-dog.
The first a becomes ö and the unstressed a becomes u: kölluðum.
- Ég keypti nýja tösku.
I bought a new bag.
Word by Word: I bought new bag.
Common Mistakes
Keeping a before an ending with u.
Við talum íslensku.Við tölum íslensku.The ending -um has a u, so the a in tala becomes ö.
Forgetting the change in a feminine noun.
Ég las góða sagu.Ég las góða sögu.The accusative ending -u turns saga into sögu.
Using the singular form as a neuter plural.
Hún á tvö barn.Hún á tvö börn.The plural of barn is börn, with ö, even though no u is visible.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The a-to-ö change builds on plurals and a-verbs.
Related Patterns
- Feminine Nouns in -a
Feminine nouns in -a show it in every -u form: sögu.
Level 2 - Neuter Nouns Like hús
Neuter plurals like börn and lönd keep the ö.
Level 2 - Adjectives Like lítill and gamall
gamall becomes gömlum and gömul.
Level 3 - Plurals With a Vowel Change
The other vowel change, seen in plurals like menn and bækur.
Level 3 - Past Tense in -aði
Plural past forms like töluðum show both changes.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Vowel Change: a → ö in Bubblegum
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