GENGið

Gengið is an Icelandic word best known as the neuter singular past participle of the verb ganga (to walk). It is used to form perfect tenses with auxiliary verbs, for example ég hef gengið meaning “I have walked.” In Icelandic, the past participle inflects by gender and number, producing forms such as genginn (masc. sing.), gengin (fem. sing.), and gengið (neuter sing.), with corresponding plural forms. In perfect constructions, gengið functions as part of the compound verb.

As a participle, gengið can also serve adjectivally, describing a noun in contexts where a participial modifier is natural. This adjectival use follows the standard Icelandic pattern of agreement with the noun it modifies (gender, number, and definiteness), similar to other active participles. The primary source of the form is the verb ganga and its historical development within the Germanic language family; gengið shares its root with related words for walking or going in other Nordic languages.

Orthography and pronunciation are characteristic of Icelandic. The word contains the letter ð, a voiced dental fricative, and the stress typically falls on the first syllable: GENGið. The neuter singular ending -ið reflects its agreement with neuter nouns or with the verbal participle used in a descriptive sense.

In usage, gengið appears in everyday Icelandic whenever speakers discuss actions performed in the present perfect or past contexts involving walking or movement. It also serves as an exemplar in language-learning materials illustrating participle morphology and agreement.

See also: ganga; Icelandic grammar; participles. References: standard Icelandic dictionaries and grammar guides, including resources from the University of Iceland and the Árni Magnússon Institute.