líka / heldur

Too and Either (Líka, Heldur)

Level 2

líka = too, also. ekki heldur = not ... either. Ég líka (Me too). Ég ekki heldur (Me neither).

How It Works

líka in positive sentences. líka goes right after the finite verb, like ekki, or at the end of the sentence:

  • Ég er líka þreytt. (I'm tired too.)
  • Hún talar þýsku líka. (She speaks German too.)

heldur in negative sentences. English switches from "too" to "either" after "not". Icelandic does the same: after ekki or another negative, use heldur, not líka.

  • Ég er ekki heldur svangur. (I'm not hungry either.)
  • Ég hef ekki heldur komið þangað. (I haven't been there either.)

A question with ekki that expects the answer yes still uses líka: Ertu ekki líka svangur? (Aren't you hungry too?)

Short replies.

  • Ég er svangur. – Ég líka. (I'm hungry. – Me too.)
  • Ég er ekki svangur. – Ég ekki heldur. (I'm not hungry. – Me neither.)

Two kinds of heldur. ekki heldur (not either) is different from ekki ... heldur, where heldur means "but rather": Hún er ekki dönsk heldur norsk (She is not Danish but Norwegian).

Examples (5)

  1. Ég er líka þreytt.

    I'm tired too.

    Word by Word: I am also tired.

  2. Hún talar líka þýsku.

    She also speaks German.

    Word by Word: She speaks also German.

  3. Ég er svangur. – Ég líka.

    I'm hungry. – Me too.

    Word by Word: I am hungry. – I also.

  4. Ég drekk ekki kaffi. – Ég ekki heldur.

    I don't drink coffee. – Me neither.

    Word by Word: I drink not coffee. – I not either.

  5. Hann kom ekki heldur í gær.

    He didn't come yesterday either.

    Word by Word: He came not either in yesterday.

    heldur comes right after ekki.

Common Mistakes

  • Using líka after a negative.

    Ég er ekki líka svangur.
    Ég er ekki heldur svangur.

    After ekki, "too" becomes heldur, just as English "too" becomes "either".

  • Answering "Me neither" with líka.

    Ég ekki líka.
    Ég ekki heldur.

    A negative reply takes heldur. Ég líka is only for agreeing with a positive statement.

  • Putting líka before the verb.

    Hún líka talar þýsku.
    Hún talar líka þýsku.

    Like ekki, líka comes after the finite verb.

How It Connects

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líka / heldurLevel 2Too and Either (Líka, Heldur)

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líka and heldur build on frequency words.

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Words in This Pattern

líkaekki