vilja

To Want (Vilja)

Level 1

vilja means to want. Put a noun or a verb right after it: Viltu kaffi? Ég vil fara heim.

How It Works

The forms.

  • ég vil (I want)
  • þú vilt (you want)
  • hann / hún / það vill (he / she / it wants)
  • við viljum (we want)
  • þið viljið (you all want)
  • þeir / þær / þau vilja (they want)

The three singular forms are all different: vil, vilt, vill. They sound different too, because the double l in vill is said like tl (ll nn rl rn). Many people say or write ég vill, but it is not standard Icelandic. The standard form is ég vil.

No að before the verb. Most verbs link to another verb with að, but vilja does not: Ég vil læra íslensku (I want to learn Icelandic). mega works the same way. geta also has no að, but it takes a different verb form, the supine: Ég get komið. When a whole clause follows, að means "that": Ég vil að þú komir (I want you to come). You will meet this later.

Wanting a thing. A noun can follow directly, in the accusative: Viltu kaffi? (Would you like coffee?). In a question þú joins the verb as viltu (joined forms).

Sounding polite. Viltu ...? is a friendly way to offer or ask. Ég vil ... can sound blunt when you order, so in a café say Má ég fá ...? or Ég ætla að fá .... For a softer wish, mig langar is common. The past tense is vildi (modal verbs past).

Examples (6)

  1. Ég vil fara heim.

    I want to go home.

    Word by Word: I want go home.

    No að between vil and fara.

  2. Viltu kaffi?

    Would you like some coffee?

    Word by Word: Want-you coffee?

    viltu is vilt þú joined together.

  3. Hún vill læra íslensku.

    She wants to learn Icelandic.

    Word by Word: She wants learn Icelandic.

    vill, with two l, is the form for hún.

  4. Við viljum ekki bíða.

    We don't want to wait.

    Word by Word: We want not wait.

  5. Hvað viljið þið borða?

    What do you all want to eat?

    Word by Word: What want you-all eat?

  6. Þau vilja búa á Akureyri.

    They want to live in Akureyri.

    Word by Word: They want live on Akureyri.

Common Mistakes

  • Using vill, the form for hann and hún, with ég.

    Ég vill fara heim.
    Ég vil fara heim.

    With ég the form is vil, with one l. vill, with two l, is for he, she and it. Many people say ég vill, but it is not standard Icelandic.

  • Putting að between vilja and the next verb.

    Ég vil að fara heim.
    Ég vil fara heim.

    vilja takes the verb directly. að after vilja starts a new clause with its own subject, as in Ég vil að þú komir.

How It Connects

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

viljaLevel 1To Want (Vilja)

Learn This First

vilja builds on the infinitive form.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

vilja