ætla

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse ætla, from Proto-Germanic *ahtalōną (“to strive, think”), from Proto-Indo-European *ok- (“to think, intend, purpose”). Landt 1800 mentions it as typical Faroese in contrast to Danish tænke, slutte.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (also in Suðuroy)

Verb

ætla (third person singular past indicative ætlaði, supine ætlað)

1. to plan, to intend
2. to think

Conjugation

Related terms

• ætlan (plan, intention)

References

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse ætla, from Proto-Germanic *ahtalōną (“to strive, think”), from Proto-Indo-European *ok- (“to think, intend, purpose”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaihtla/

  Rhymes: -aihtla

Verb

ætla (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative ætlaði, supine ætlað)

1. to intend, to plan, to mean to, be going to

   Ég ætlaði ekki að særa þig.

   I didn't mean to hurt you.

   Hún ætlaði alltaf að passa upp á hann.

   She was always going to keep an eye on him.

   Hættu þessu, asninn þinn! Ég ætlaði að sitja þarna!

   Stop that, you idiot! I was going to sit there!

2. to intend to go

   Ég ætla heim!

   I'm going home!

3. (of inanimate things, happenings, etc. or impersonal) to be going to, seem to be going to (indicating a likely course of events)

   það ætlar að rigna

   it looks like it’s going to rain

4. to think, to believe, suppose, be of the opinion (that)

   Farið er að skýja, og ætla ég að fljótlega byrji að rigna.

   It is getting cloudy, and I think it will soon start raining.

5. (ditransitive with dative and accusative) to believe or suppose (something) (of someone) impute or attribute (something) (to someone)

   Ætlaðu mér ekki slíka heimsku.

   Don’t think I’m that stupid.

   (literally, “Don’t suppose such stupidity of me.”)

6. (ditransitive with dative and accusative) to intend (something) (for someone)

   Hann ætlaði henni að annað hlutverk.

   He intended another role for her.

   Fjölskylda hans ætlaði honum að leggja stund á lögfræði.

   His family intended for him to study law.

7. (impersonal, used in the present subjunctive with a subclause, also in the subjunctive) to wonder, to suppose

   Hvað ætli forsetinn sé að gera núna?

   I wonder what the president is doing now.

   Átt þú ekki að vera í skólanum? — Ætli það ekki.

   Aren't you supposed to be at school? — I suppose so.

Usage notes

• The verb ætla is an auxiliary verb much used in Icelandic.

  Ég ætla að fara í bíó.

  I am going (I intend to go) to the cinema.

• Also used to ask for something in stores or restaurants.

  Ég ætla að fá eina kók.

  I'll have one Coke. (I intend to have one Coke.)

Inflection

Synonyms

• (intend): hafa í hyggju
• (think, believe): telja, álíta

Derived terms

See also

• ætlast