The verb viti (to be) is irregular in Islandish. The present imperfective paradigm is highly irregular with vowel and consonant alterations, the other forms, however, use regular endings which are added to one of the stems vi- or ni-. The stem vi- is usually used for imperfective forms, apart from the simple past forms, where it is used for all aspects. The ni- stem is usually for the perfective and the habitual, apart from the simple future forms, where it is used in all aspects.
Present
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
1. | nám | námi |
2. | niš | náte |
3. | nej | náju |
Perfective present
The perfective present forms are formed regularly from the ni- stem.
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
1. | nidem | nidmi |
2. | nideš | nidete |
3. | nidej | nidu |
The perfective of the verb "to be" expresses certainty and high probability:
Eg.
Nidem dubit - I must be getting old
Unidej krtkí - He certainly isn't weak.
Nidej iza smúgvadl. He certainly made a mistake.
Habitual present
The habitual present forms are built regularly from the ni- stem.
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
1. | nijem | nijemi |
2. | niješ | nijete |
3. | nivej | nivaju |
Eg. Bjereňí nivej uivládno. Life is sometimes unjust.
Simple past
The simple past forms are built from the vi- stem in all aspects.
| Imperfective | Perfective | Habitual |
|---|---|---|---|
1.sg. | vih | videh | vijeh |
2.sg. | više | viče | vijše |
3.sg. | viha | viha | vijeha |
1.pl. | vimih | vidmih | vijmih |
2.pl. | viteh | videteh | vijteh |
3.pl. | vihu | videhu | vijehu |
Simple future
The future forms are built from the ni- stem in all aspects.
| Imperfective | Perfective | Habitual |
|---|---|---|---|
1.sg. | nirem | nidrem | nivrem |
2.sg. | nireš | nidreš | nivreš |
3.sg. | nirej | nidrej | nivrej |
1.pl. | nirmi | nidremi | nivremi |
2.pl. | nirte | nidrete | nivrete |
3.pl. | niru | nidru | nivru |
The perfective future forms are used to express certainty, in the 1st person a promise.
Nidrem ivláden. I promise I will be just.
Unidrem vevuknel. I promise I won't forget.
Nerá pučka nidrej ne kudra. My girlfriend certainly likes me. (Note the finite present form of the verb, if the certainty applies to the present.)
The habitual forms are used to express probability:
Gradňa nivrej uivládná. The truth will probably ne unjust.
Nivrem vevuknel. I will probably forget.
Nivrej jabrzdej. He is probably already coming.
Infinite forms
| Perfective | Imperfective | Habitual |
|---|---|---|---|
Infinitive | nisti | viti | nivati |
Past participle | nidl | vil | nivl |
Passiv participle | nit | vin | niv |
Transgressive | nivši | víc | nivajíc |
Imperative
The imperative, as for any other verb, is formed from the present forms: ni, náma, náta, nája, nide, nidma etc.
Conditional
The conditional is a compound form built regularly using the above participles.
Hoka mňe zmim, vil vih i čiľi. If I could, I would be home.