Fyrsta

Fyrsta is an Icelandic word meaning "first." It functions as an ordinal adjective used to indicate the initial item in a sequence or the earliest occurrence of something. In modern Icelandic, ordinal forms are used with nouns to express order, and the form of fyrsti changes to match gender and number: masculine singular nominative uses fyrsti; feminine and neuter singular nominatives use fyrsta.

The word derives from Old Norse fyrsti, itself linked to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "first" or "foremost." This lineage reflects a common pattern in Scandinavian languages, where ordinals related to one are formed for use before different noun genders and cases.

In use, fyrsta appears in contexts such as describing the first item in a list, the first day of an event, or the initial instance of an action. It also appears in more complex phrases where an ordinal number precedes a noun, with agreement governed by the noun’s gender, number, and case. The form adjusts throughout the sentence to maintain grammatical concord with the noun it modifies.

See also: Icelandic language; ordinal numbers in Icelandic; grammar of adjectives in Icelandic.