mjúkum

Mjúkum is the dative plural form of the Icelandic adjective mjúkur, meaning "soft." In Icelandic, adjectives decline to agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case. Mjúkum appears specifically in the dative plural, where it modifies plural nouns in the dative case. The dative case is used with certain prepositions (for example með, meaning "with") and in some verb complements, though its role is more limited in contemporary Icelandic than in earlier stages of the language.

Example: Með mjúkum höndum nuddi hún húðina. This phrase shows how mjúkum modifies a plural noun in the dative after a preposition.

The form derives from Old Norse mjúkr and shares cognates with related Germanic languages. The everyday use of mjúkum is primarily descriptive, indicating texture or feel when referring to plural nouns in a dative context. The base form mjúkur yields other inflections for different cases and numbers (e.g., mjúkt in neuter singular).

For learners, recognizing the -um ending as a typical dative plural adjective ending in Icelandic can help identify such forms. See also mjúkur, Icelandic grammar, and adjectives.