ítökum

Átökum is the dative plural form of the Icelandic noun átök, which means conflict, clash, or struggle between parties, groups, or states. The form appears in phrases where the noun is governed by a preposition in the dative case, most commonly with í to denote place or situation, as in í átökum milli aðila.

In usage, átök can refer to a wide range of confrontations, from political or social disputes to military engagements. Átökum is therefore most often found in descriptive writing, such as news reports, historical accounts, and scholarly analyses, to indicate that parties are involved in ongoing or past conflicts. The plural form allows speakers and writers to discuss multiple conflicts or the conditions of conflict in general.

Synonyms and related terms include deilur (disputes), þrættir (contentions), and stríð (wars), though átök often carries a sense of direct clashes or confrontations rather than abstract disagreement. The word is common in discussions of public life, international relations, and civil society, where tensions and confrontations are a focal point.

Translations into English typically render átökum indirectly through the prepositional phrase í átökum, meaning “in conflicts” or “during conflicts.” As a grammatical form, átökum is primarily a tool for constructing context about where conflicts occur, rather than a standalone lexical item with a separate meaning.