Ekki

Ekki is an Icelandic adverb meaning “not” or “no.” It functions as the standard negation particle in Icelandic, used to negate verbs, adjectives, and nouns within a clause.

Position and usage: In simple statements, eigi or the finite verb with ekki typically follows the verb or auxiliary: Ég elska ekki þig. Hún er ekki að koma. In questions, eða negative questions, ekki can appear after the verb: Ertu ekki viss? The adverb can also be used in emphatic or restrictive negation, and it commonly accompanies negation phrases like ekki lengi eða ekki enn.

With adjectives or nouns: Use ekki to negate predicates: Húsið er ekki stórt. Það er ekki rétt. For negation of objects or actions, ekki sits before the relevant adjective, noun, or verb form within the clause. The neuter pronoun ekkert means “nothing” and is used with negation: Ég sé ekkert.

Etymology and related forms: The word ekki is inherited from Old Norse and is cognate with other Germanic negation terms. It is an invariant adverb, meaning it does not change for gender, number, or case. The related neuter pronoun and determiner forms, such as ekkert, are used in related negation constructions.

See also: Icelandic language; negation; Icelandic grammar.