vakið

Vakið is an Icelandic term with several related uses centered on awakening. In everyday language, it most commonly appears as the second-person plural imperative of the verb vaka or vakka, used to address a group and tell them to wake up or rouse themselves. As an imperative, it functions as a direct command, for example in group situations such as classrooms or gatherings.

Historically and grammatically, vakið derives from the same Germanic roots that yield wake-related forms in related languages. It shares a family resemblance with English wake and Swedish vakna, reflecting a common semantic core of arousal and awakening. In Icelandic, the form is tied to the root meaning to wake, to rouse from sleep or from a state of inactivity.

Outside of direct commands, vakið can appear in literary or religious contexts as a noun or thematic element signifying an awakening or revelation. In such uses, it often carries a more symbolic or aspirational sense, rather than functioning as a straightforward verb form. As with many short verb-derived terms, its exact nuance is shaped by context, tone, and accompanying words.

See also: vaka, vakna, wake (cognates in other Germanic languages), Icelandic grammar.

Notes: Vakið is primarily encountered in Icelandic text and speech. Its presence outside Icelandic discourse is limited, and its precise grammatical function may vary with context and register.