Idioms

There are some actions in Icelandic that can't be expressed by a verb on it's own. The verb will be followed by one or more adjectives, forming an idiom that has a different meaning. Many of these idioms can be very confusing if you don't know them. Here are some examples:

Að gera við = to fix

Að gera að = to tend to (for example to tend to wounds or injuries)

Að halda fram hjá = to cheat on a spouse, to commit adultery

Að halda fram = to state, to assert

Að taka fram = to say, to bring something to attention by saying it

Að halda við = to have an affair with

Að halda sér við = to keep yourself in shape

Að halda einhverju við = to maintain something (that needs maintenance)

Að halda upp á = to celebrate, to enjoy

Að taka upp á = do decide to

Að hafa uppi á = to locate

Að finna upp á = to invent, to get an idea (to do something)

Að horfa upp á = to watch something happen (often something negative)

Að halda úti = to keep something going

Að halda út = to endure

Að gefa út = to publish

Að halda með = to root for, to be on someone's side

Að taka frá = to reserve

(although „að taka eitthvað frá einhverjum“ means „to take something away from someone“)

Að taka við = to receive, to follow (if talking about events that follow)

Að taka við af = to replace someone (doing a task or holding a position)

Að taka saman við = to begin a romantic relationship with

Að halda sér saman = to remain silent (often used in an angry or negative sense)

Að koma fram = to perform, to come to light

Að koma saman um = to agree

Here are the meanings of these words on their own or in other combinations

Að gera = to do

Við = by, beside

Að halda = to hold

Fram = forward

Hjá = by

Fram hjá = past

Sér = themselves