minnkuðu

Minnkuðu is the third-person plural past tense form of the Icelandic verb minnka, which means to reduce or diminish. In English, it is typically translated as "they reduced." The form is common in standard Icelandic and is used to describe actions where a group performed a reduction.

Formation and grammar: Minnka is a regular weak verb in Icelandic. The past tense for the third person plural is formed with the ending -uðu, attached to the stem minnk-, yielding minnkuðu. This contrasts with the singular past form minnkaði, used for he/she/it reduced. The construction does not require an auxiliary verb for the simple past in ordinary declarative sentences.

Usage: Minnkuðu is used when the subject of the verb is a plural entity. It governs a direct object in the accusative, often a definite noun phrase if the action targets a specific item or set of items. For example, a sentence such as "Þeir minnkuðu útgjöldin" means "They reduced the expenses." The form can appear in news, reports, or narrative passages where multiple actors enact a reduction.

Context and related forms: The form reflects Icelandic verb conjugation patterns typical of many weak verbs. Within the North Germanic language group, cognate verbs in other languages show related meanings of reduction or diminution, though the exact past-tense forms differ across languages such as Danish and Norwegian. Minnkuðu thus exemplifies the typical Icelandic past-tense morphology for plural subjects.

See also: Minnka; Icelandic grammar; North Germanic languages.