flýgur

Flýgur is the third-person singular present indicative form of the Icelandic verb fljúga, meaning to fly. The base verb fljúga denotes the act of moving through the air, whether by wings in living beings or by aircraft. Flýgur is used when the subject is singular and currently performing the action of flying. For example: "Fuglinn flýgur yfir fjöllin," meaning the bird is flying over the mountains, and "Flugvélin flýgur yfir höfnina," meaning the airplane is flying over the harbor. The phrase "tíminn flýgur" is a common idiom meaning that time passes quickly.

Etymology and related forms: fljúga comes from Old Norse fljúga and is cognate with related Germanic forms in other languages, such as the English fly and the concept of flight (flug). In modern Icelandic, flýgur follows standard patterns for the present tense of strong verbs, with the same root used across different subjects in present time.

Usage notes: flýgur can describe literal flight, such as birds, insects, or aircraft, as well as figurative movement through space or time. It appears in a variety of contexts, from everyday travel to literary expressions of speed or progress. Typical collocations include flýgur hratt (flies fast) and flýgur til [destination] (flies to [destination]).

See also: fljúga, flug, flugvél, flugleiðsla.

This entry presents flýgur as a specific present-tense form and a gateway to understanding how Icelandic expresses the act of flying in different contexts.