biðja

Biðja is an Icelandic verb meaning to ask, to request, or to beg. It can also be used in religious or formal contexts to mean “to pray to,” but in many contexts the verb bæna is more typical for the act of praying. The main sense is to seek something from another person, such as information, help, permission, or a favor. It is commonly used with the preposition um to indicate what is being asked for, as in biðja um hjálp (to ask for help).

Common constructions and usage examples include: Ég bið þig um hjálp (I ask you for help). Ég bið þig að koma (I ask you to come). Ég bið Guð að blessa heimili mitt (I ask God to bless my home). The tone of biðja is typically polite or formal, and it can take subordinate clauses introduced by að to request someone to perform an action. It can also express a plea or a stronger request in certain contexts.

Grammatical notes: The verb has a distinct past tense form bað and a past participle beðið, used in passive or perfect constructions (for example, ég var beðinn, I was asked). Like many Icelandic verbs, biðja shows person- and number-specific forms in the present and past tenses.

Etymology and cognates: Biðja derives from Old Norse bidja. Its cognates appear in other North Germanic languages, such as Danish bede, Norwegian be, and Swedish be, reflecting a common root related to asking or requesting.

See also: bæn (prayer), bæna (to pray).