Einhvað

Einhvað is an indefinite pronoun and adverb in Icelandic that denotes an unspecified thing or amount and can function similarly to the English words "something" or "somewhat." In contemporary standard Icelandic, eitthvað is the more common form, while einhvað is encountered mainly in older texts, regional speech, or certain stylistic contexts. As a pronoun, einhvað stands in for an unspecified object or idea; as an adverb, it can modify adjectives or verbs to convey approximation or degree.

Usage notes and dialects

Einhvað tends to appear in informal or rural speech and is less common in formal writing, where eitthvað is generally preferred. The two forms are sometimes treated as interchangeable in casual conversation, but einhvað is typically regarded as regional, archaic, or stylistically marked. The word belongs to a broader set of Icelandic indefinites that express indefiniteness or vagueness, alongside related forms such as einhver and eitthvað.

Relationship to related terms

Einhvað is closely related to eitthvað in meaning, but its usage is differentiated by register and dialect. It should not be confused with einhver, which means “someone” or “anyone,” or with eitthvað, the more standard indefinite form for “something.” In linguistic treatments, einhvað is cited as a variant or historical/ regional form within the spectrum of Icelandic indefinites.

See also

eitthvað, einhver, indefinites (Icelandic grammar)