aðskiljast

aðskiljast is an Icelandic intransitive verb meaning to become separated or to part company. It covers both physical separation, such as components or objects moving apart, and metaphorical separation, such as groups, relationships, or ideas diverging. The sense is of a process that results in distinct, separated states rather than a mere moment of division.

The form is reflexive, derived from aðskilja (to separate) with the -jast ending that marks an intransitive or middle voice. As a non-transitive verb, it typically does not take a direct object. Common constructions describe what one separates from, for example aðskiljast frá X (to separate oneself from X) or, in a broader sense, aðskiljast milli Y og Z (to diverge between Y and Z). In short, the focus is on the process of becoming distinct rather than on performing a separative action onto another object.

Usage notes emphasize that aðskiljast can be used in physical, social, and ideological contexts. It is appropriate for describing how parties part ways, how components in a mixture separate, or how viewpoints diverge over time. In academic or technical language, the term may be employed to convey a natural or deliberate separation process, similar in sense to terms like “to separate” or “to diverge” in English.

See also: aðskilja, skilja, aðgreining, sundrung.