sæll
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Icelandic
Icelandic phrasebook
 | This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness. |
Etymology
From Old Norse sæll (“happy”), from Proto-Germanic *sēliz.
Pronunciation
Adjective
sæll (comparative sælli, superlative sælastur)
Usage notes
Sæll is a very common greeting, particularly in formal situations. It inflects with the gender and plurality of the person being addressed (sæll for a man, sæl for a woman and a mixed-gender group, sælir for a group of men, and sælar for a group of women).
In slang, the plural sælir/sælar is occasionally used to address a single person; it is considered a more "cool" and relaxed greeting.
Declension
positive forms of sæll
| strong declension (indefinite) |
singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | sæll | sæl | sælt | |
| accusative | sælan | sæla | ||
| dative | sælum | sælli | sælu | |
| genitive | sæls | sællar | sæls | |
| plural | masculine | feminine | neuter | |
| nominative | sælir | sælar | sæl | |
| accusative | sæla | |||
| dative | sælum | |||
| genitive | sælla | |||
| weak declension (definite) |
singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | sæli | sæla | sæla | |
| acc/dat/gen | sæla | sælu | ||
| plural (all-case) | sælu | |||
superlative forms of sæll
| strong declension (indefinite) |
singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | sælastur | sælust | sælast | |
| accusative | sælastan | sælasta | ||
| dative | sælustum | sælastri | sælustu | |
| genitive | sælasts | sælastrar | sælasts | |
| plural | masculine | feminine | neuter | |
| nominative | sælastir | sælastar | sælust | |
| accusative | sælasta | |||
| dative | sælustum | |||
| genitive | sælastra | |||
| weak declension (definite) |
singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | sælasti | sælasta | sælasta | |
| acc/dat/gen | sælasta | sælustu | ||
| plural (all-case) | sælustu | |||
Derived terms
- sæll vertu (“hello”)
- vertu sæll (“goodbye”)
- sæll og blessaður (“hello”)
- sæla (“happiness”)
References
- Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989) Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)
Old Norse
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Germanic *sēliz, from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- (“to calm, quiet, be favourable”).
Adjective
sæll (comparative sælari, superlative sælastr)
- happy, blessed, fortunate
- 800s, Hávamál, verse 69
- Es-at maðr alls vesall, // þótt sé illa hęill,
sumr es af sonum sæll,
sumr af frændum, // sumr af fé ǿrnu,
sumr af verkum vęl.- Man is not completely wretched, though he of poor health be: someone is fortunate from sons, someone from kinsmen, someone from ample cattle, someone from works done well.
- 800s, Hávamál, verse 69
Declension
Strong declension of sæll
Weak declension of sæll
Declension of comparative of sæll
| singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | sælari | sælari | sælara |
| accusative | sælara | sælari | sælara |
| dative | sælara | sælari | sælara |
| genitive | sælara | sælari | sælara |
| plural | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | sælari | sælari | sælari |
| accusative | sælari | sælari | sælari |
| dative | sælurum | sælurum | sælurum |
| genitive | sælari | sælari | sælari |
Strong declension of superlative of sæll
| singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | sælastr | sælust | sælast |
| accusative | sælastan | sælasta | sælast |
| dative | sælustum | sælastri | sælustu |
| genitive | sælasts | sælastrar | sælasts |
| plural | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | sælastir | sælastar | sælust |
| accusative | sælasta | sælastar | sælust |
| dative | sælustum | sælustum | sælustum |
| genitive | sælastra | sælastra | sælastra |
Weak declension of superlative of sæll
| singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | sælasti | sælasta | sælasta |
| accusative | sælasta | sælustu | sælasta |
| dative | sælasta | sælustu | sælasta |
| genitive | sælasta | sælustu | sælasta |
| plural | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | sælustu | sælustu | sælustu |
| accusative | sælustu | sælustu | sælustu |
| dative | sælustum | sælustum | sælustum |
| genitive | sælustu | sælustu | sælustu |
Derived terms
- ársæll (“blessed with good harvests”) (especially of a king under whose reign the realm prospers)
- friðsæll (“blessed with peace”) (especially of a king under whose reign the realm prospers)
- orðsæll (“blessed with a good reputation”)
- vesæll, vesall (“wretched, unlucky”)
- vinsæll (“blessed with many friends”)