eiga

To Own (Eiga)

Level 1

Use eiga to say what you own and who is in your life: Ég á bíl (I have a car). Hún á tvö börn (She has two children).

How It Works

The forms. eiga belongs to a small group of old verbs whose present tense looks unusual (preterite-present verbs):

  • ég á (I have)
  • þú átt (you have)
  • hann / hún / það á (he / she / it has)
  • við eigum (we have)
  • þið eigið (you all have)
  • þeir / þær / þau eiga (they have)

The singular has no -ur ending: hún á, not hún eigur. In a question þú joins the verb: Áttu ...? (joined forms).

What eiga is used for.

  • Things you own: Ég á bíl. Við eigum lítið hús.
  • Family, friends and pets: Hún á tvö börn. Ég á bróður. Hann á marga vini.
  • Everyday phrases: Ég á afmæli í dag (It's my birthday today) and Hvar áttu heima? (Where do you live?).

The object is accusative. The thing or person you have is in the accusative: köttur becomes Ég á kött, and bróðir becomes Ég á bróður.

eiga, hafa or vera með? Use eiga for ownership and relationships. hafa is for abstract things like time. vera með is for having something on you right now: Ertu með síma?

With að and a verb, eiga means "be supposed to" (eiga að). Its past tense is átti (var/hafði/átti/vissi).

Examples (6)

  1. Ég á bíl.

    I have a car.

    Word by Word: I own car.

  2. Hún á tvö börn.

    She has two children.

    Word by Word: She owns two children.

    Family members also take eiga.

  3. Áttu kött?

    Do you have a cat?

    Word by Word: Own-you cat?

    Áttu is átt þú joined together. köttur becomes kött in the accusative.

  4. Við eigum lítið hús í sveitinni.

    We have a small house in the countryside.

    Word by Word: We own little house in the countryside.

  5. Hann á marga vini.

    He has many friends.

    Word by Word: He owns many friends.

  6. Ég á afmæli í dag.

    It's my birthday today.

    Word by Word: I own birthday today.

Common Mistakes

  • Using á, the form for ég and hún, with þú.

    Þú á fallegt hús.
    Þú átt fallegt hús.

    With þú the form is átt: þú átt, and in a question áttu.

  • Leaving the object in the nominative.

    Ég á köttur.
    Ég á kött.

    The thing you own is in the accusative. köttur becomes kött.

  • Using hafa for family members, as in English.

    Ég hef tvær systur.
    Ég á tvær systur.

    Family, friends and pets go with eiga. hafa here sounds foreign.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

eigaLevel 1To Own (Eiga)

Learn This First

eiga is learned by contrast with hafa.

Words in This Pattern

eigaá