bæi

Bæði is a word used in Icelandic (and also found in Faroese) meaning “both” or “both … and ….” It functions as a determiner and adverb that marks two items or ideas as being included together. In standard usage, it appears before two nouns or noun phrases that are connected by the conjunction og (and), and it can also introduce two adjectives or clauses tied in meaning.

Usage examples help illustrate the construction. Bæði pabbi og mamma mættu means “Both dad and mom attended.” Bæði skólinn og heimilið þurfa stuðning means “Both the school and the home need support.” In these patterns, bæði sits before the first item, and the second item is joined with og.

Etymology and related forms: báðir is the masculine plural form of “both” in Icelandic, and báðar is the feminine plural form. Bæði, however, is the fixed particle used to express the inclusive sense “both.” The word derives from Old Norse and has remained a stable part of Icelandic grammar, with a closely related presence in other North Germanic languages such as Faroese.

Notes on usage: Although báðir/báðar can be declined to agree with nouns, båði is primarily used as a coordinating particle meaning “both.” It is most common in statements that compare or combine two items or ideas and is less often used to indicate a single, separate action.