Verbs With Fixed Prepositions
Ég er að bíða eftir strætó (I'm waiting for the bus). Icelandic often uses a different preposition from English, so learn each verb with its own.
How It Works
Common verbs and their prepositions.
- hlusta á + accusative (listen to): Hlustaðu á mig!
- horfa á + accusative (watch, look at): Við horfðum á mynd.
- bíða eftir + dative (wait for): Ég bíð eftir þér.
- hugsa um + accusative (think about; also take care of): Hún hugsar vel um hundinn.
- hlæja að + dative (laugh at): Þau hlógu að brandaranum.
- leita að + dative (look for): Ég er að leita að lyklunum.
- trúa á + accusative (believe in): Trúirðu á drauga?
- tala við + accusative (talk to): Ég þarf að tala við þig.
- hafa áhuga á + dative (be interested in): Ég hef áhuga á tónlist.
One preposition, two cases. á takes the accusative after hlusta, horfa and trúa, but the dative in hafa áhuga á. That is why each verb is best learned as a whole unit. The preposition can also change the meaning: trúa á + accusative means believe in, but trúa + dative with no preposition means believe someone: Ég trúi þér.
In questions the preposition often stays at the end, and the question word takes the case the preposition needs: Hverjum ertu að bíða eftir? (Who are you waiting for?) Hvað ertu að hugsa um? (see prepositions at the end).
Some verb + small-word pairs take on a whole new meaning, like halda áfram (continue) or hringja í (call someone). Those are covered in verbs with particles.
Examples (6)
- Ég er að bíða eftir strætó.
I'm waiting for the bus.
Word by Word: I am to wait after bus.
- Við horfðum á mynd í gærkvöldi.
We watched a film last night.
Word by Word: We looked on film in yesterday-evening.
- Hlustaðu á mig!
Listen to me!
Word by Word: Listen-you on me!
- Hann hló að brandaranum mínum.
He laughed at my joke.
Word by Word: He laughed at the-joke my.
hlæja að takes the dative: brandaranum.
- Ertu að leita að lyklunum?
Are you looking for the keys?
Word by Word: Are-you to search at the-keys?
- Ég hugsa oft um þig.
I often think about you.
Word by Word: I think often about you.
Common Mistakes
Translating English "wait for" with fyrir.
Ég er að bíða fyrir strætó.Ég er að bíða eftir strætó.bíða uses eftir + dative. fyrir does not mean "for" in this verb.
Leaving out the preposition, as English does with some verbs.
Ég hlusta tónlist.Ég hlusta á tónlist.hlusta always needs á before the thing you listen to.
Using the wrong case after the preposition.
Þau hlógu að mig.Þau hlógu að mér.að takes the dative, so the pronoun must be mér.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Fixed prepositions build on accusative and dative prepositions.
Related Patterns
- Prepositions at the End
In questions, the preposition of these verbs often goes to the end.
Level 3 - Verbs With Particles
Verb + particle pairs whose meaning changes, like halda áfram.
Level 3 - áOn and at (Á)
á takes different cases with different verbs: hlusta á + accusative, hafa áhuga á + dative.
Level 1 - Verbs With a Dative Object
Verbs that take a dative object with no preposition at all.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Verbs With Fixed Prepositions in Bubblegum
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