Erfðum

Erfðum is an Icelandic verb form that denotes the action of inheriting in the past. It is used to describe a group of people who received property, rights, or traits from a predecessor, relative, or previous owner. In this sense, erfðum functions as the past tense for the first-person plural, meaning “we inherited.” The word commonly appears in everyday speech, legal documents, genealogical records, and historical narratives.

Grammatically, erfðum is linked to the verb erfa, which means to inherit. Like other Icelandic verbs, it changes form according to tense and person, so erfðum represents one specific conjugation used when the subject is plural and the action is completed. The concept of inheritance in Icelandic is related to both property transfer and genetic transmission, depending on context.

In broader usage, the related noun erfð or erfðafræði describes heredity or genetics, while erfða- prefixes form terminology connected with inheritance, such as erfðafræði (genetics). These terms reflect the overlap between social/legal inheritance and biological heredity in Icelandic language and discourse.

See also: inheritance, heredity, genetics, Icelandic verb conjugation, erfða- prefix forms.