fækka

Fækka is an Icelandic verb meaning to decrease, reduce, or become smaller in number or amount. It is used to describe declines in quantities such as population, sales, frequency of events, or other measurable figures. The action can refer to natural declines as well as deliberate reductions in policy, planning, or management contexts.

In statistical, economic, and demographic language, fækka is followed by a subject that loses units, people, or occurrences. The related noun fækkun denotes the act or process of reduction and is common in official reports and analyses. The word is a standard part of everyday Icelandic and appears in both informal speech and formal writing.

Usage notes: fækka often appears with numerals or in comparisons of numbers, for example indicating that a figure has fallen from one value to another. The verb forms like fækkað or fækka can be used across tenses and voices as with other Icelandic verbs.

Examples: Fjöldi gesta fækkaði á nýliðnu ári. Sala vöruflokka fækkaði um helming. These illustrate typical contexts in which the verb describes a drop in quantity or incidence.

See also: aukning (increase) and fjölgun (growth/increase) as antonyms or related concepts in discussions of changes in quantity.