Eigum

Eigum is the first-person plural present indicative form of the Icelandic verb eiga, meaning to own or to have. It is used with the subject við (we) to express possession in the present tense. A typical conjugation around the present tense is: ég á, þú átt, hann/hún/það á, við eigum, þið eigið, þeir/þær/þau eiga. Because of this, eigum appears in everyday sentences such as “Við eigum hús” (We own a house) and in interrogative constructions like “Eigum við að fara?” (Shall we go?).

Etymology and related forms: eiga is an inherited Old Norse verb, traced to the broader Old Nordic and Proto-Germanic roots for possession and having. As a result, forms related to eiga appear across North Germanic languages, reflecting a shared history of expressing ownership and possession. In Icelandic, eigum is one member of a full set of present-tense forms that encode person and number.

Usage notes: Besides literal possession, eiga is used broadly in idiomatic and collocational contexts, including phrases that imply obligation, intention, or experience, depending on construction. The form eigum specifically marks the first-person plural present and can also function in questions or proposals, such as in “Eigum við að…” to propose an action.

See also: eiga (to own, to have), eign (possession or property), eignarétt (ownership right). In Icelandic grammar, the verb eiga and its conjugations are fundamental for expressing possession, obligations, and related states in the present tense.