orðalag

Orðalag, in Icelandic grammar, refers to the arrangement of words within a clause or sentence and is a central aspect of syntax. It encompasses the order of subjects, verbs, objects, adverbials and other sentence elements, as well as how this order can express focus, topic structure, and emphasis. Icelandic word order is shaped by a combination of inflection, sentence type, and information structure, making it flexible in many contexts.

In main clauses, Icelandic typically uses a verb-second (V2) pattern: the finite verb appears in the second position. A neutral order is subject–verb–object (Ég les bókina). If a time or place expression leads the sentence, the verb still follows in the second slot (Í gær las ég bókina). The language also allows the fronting of other elements to signal focus or topicalization (for example, Í gær keypti ég bókina).

In subordinate clauses, the tendency is to place the verb toward the end (Ég veit að hann kemur). Relative clauses and embedded questions follow their own standard rules, but still rely on inflection to indicate grammatical roles.

Icelandic word order is relatively flexible due to its rich case system, which marks nouns and pronouns for case, number, and gender. This reduces reliance on fixed positions for grammatical relations, enabling variations that highlight new information or contrastive topics. Pronoun placement and cliticization near the verb are common features in natural use.

See also: Icelandic grammar, syntax, sentence structure.