hætta

Hætta is an Icelandic noun meaning danger, risk, or hazard. It refers to the possibility of harm or loss and to situations or conditions that could cause damage to people, property, or the environment. In safety, health, and regulatory contexts, hætta is used to describe hazards and to categorize levels of risk. Common phrases include á hættu (in danger) and hættulegur (dangerous).

Hætta also functions as a verb meaning to stop or cease. Used with an infinitive, it expresses the act of ceasing an action, as in hætta að drekka (to stop drinking) or hætta að vinna (to stop working). The verb is conjugated like other Icelandic verbs, and its imperative form can be used to issue a direct warning such as hættu! (stop!).

Etymology and related forms: the word hætta is of Old Norse origin and has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, where related terms express danger or cessation in different grammatical contexts. In modern Icelandic, the noun hætta is often paired with adjectives or adverbs to form phrases describing risk levels or safety status, while the verb hætta is used in statements about terminating actions.

Related terms include hættulegur (dangerous) and hættumynd (hazard-related concept) in safety discourse. In everyday language, the distinction between hætta as danger or risk and the verb hætta as stopping an activity is generally understood from context.

See also: danger, risk, hazard, safety, risk assessment.