búum

Báðum is an Icelandic word that functions as a determiner and pronoun meaning “both.” It refers to two entities considered together and is commonly used when specifying that two items or people are involved.

In modern Icelandic, báðum is the dative plural form of the adjective báður. It is used before a noun phrase in the dative plural to indicate both of the referents. For example, báðum mönnum means “to both men.” The form illustrates agreement with the noun in case, number, and gender within the Icelandic grammatical system; in the dative plural, báðum is the standard form across genders.

Báðum forms part of a larger paradigm related to báður, which has distinct forms for other cases and numbers (such as báðir, báðar, bæði, and báða). These forms are used to express “both” in different grammatical contexts, depending on the gender and case of the noun they modify or refer to.

Origin and related terms: báðum derives from Old Norse báðir and is cognate with other Germanic languages’ equivalents for “both.” In Icelandic, the prefix and inflection follow regular adjective-declension patterns, making báðum a productive and stable form in both written and spoken language.

See also: báður, báðar, bæði, bæði (gendered forms of “both”) and Icelandic grammar.