þarfnast

þarfnast is an Icelandic verb form meaning "needs" or "is in need of." It is a present-tense form used with a third-person subject, and it expresses necessity or requirement of something, typically followed by a direct object in the accusative (for example, hjálp, meiri tíma).

In standard modern Icelandic, examples include sentences like Hann þarfnast hjálpar (He needs help) or Hún þarfnast meiri upplýsinga (She needs more information). The construction shows the verb governing the object that denotes what is required. The form is considered relatively formal or literary in everyday speech, where more common equivalents such as þarf may be preferred in many contexts.

Etymology and related forms: þarfnast derives from the same root as the verb þarf, which means "to need." The form reflects a particular present-tense conjugation used with third-person singular subjects. Related verbs in Icelandic share a similar pattern of expressing necessity or obligation.

Frequency and usage notes: While þarf is the most frequently used present-tense form of “to need” in colloquial speech, þarfnast appears in written Icelandic, formal speech, and certain stylistic or emphatic contexts. It can also occur in older or more conservative texts where traditional verb forms are preserved.

See also: Icelandic verbs; the verb þarf; Icelandic grammar; language usage in Icelandic.

Overall, þarfnast is a legitimate, though somewhat formal, present-tense form of the verb meaning “needs,” used with a direct object to indicate what is required.