sjaldan

Sjaldan is an Icelandic adverb meaning rarely or seldom. It is used to indicate that an action or event occurs infrequently.

Etymology and cognates: The word is of Old Norse origin and has cognates in other North Germanic languages, including Norwegian sjeldent, Danish sjældent, and Swedish sällan, all with the same sense of infrequent occurrence. In English, the closest equivalents are seldom and rarely.

Usage: Sjaldan typically modifies verbs or whole clauses. Examples: "Hún kemur sjaldan út." (She rarely goes out.) "Við heimsækjum sjaldan vini." (We seldom visit friends.) In Icelandic, the adverb is common in both spoken and written language and can convey a range of frequency from modest to noticeable, depending on context.

Notes: As a standard frequency adverb, sjaldan contrasts with more common terms for frequent actions and is part of everyday Icelandic usage. It is often found in literature and journalism when a writer wants to express low probability or typical infrequency without extra emphasis.

See also: Icelandic language; North Germanic languages; adverbs of frequency.