byrjað

Byrjað is the past participle form of the Icelandic verb byrja, meaning to begin or to start. It denotes that something has begun or been started and is used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses, as in ég hef byrjað (I have started), or in passive-like constructions, such as verkið er byrjað (the work has begun).

In use, byrjað functions as a participle that can appear with auxiliary verbs to express completed action. It also can act as an adjective describing a noun, and in that role it agrees in gender and number with the noun, like other participles do. This makes byrjað common in both written and formal Icelandic, as well as in certain set phrases indicating initiation or completion of a process.

Etymologically, byrja is a native Icelandic verb with roots in the Germanic language family. The past participle byrjað is the standard participial form used to express that something has already begun, and it forms part of the broader system of Icelandic participles.

Usage notes include that while byrjað appears frequently in formal writing and news, everyday speech often relies on other constructions to convey the act of starting. For example, people may say byrja að to mean “to start to” do something, as in ég byrjaði að lesa (I began to read) or byrja að regna for “it began to rain.” The choice between using byrjað with a perfect construction and bruge að + infinitive often depends on nuance and register.

Examples:

- Ég hef byrjað að lesa bókina. (I have started reading the book.)

- Verkið er byrjað. (The work has begun.)

- Það byrjaði að rigna. (It started to rain.)

- Það var byrjað á verkefninu. (The project was begun.)