ómöguleg

Ómöguleg is an Icelandic adjective meaning "impossible" or "not possible." It is used to describe situations, actions, or conditions that cannot occur under the given circumstances. The form ómöguleg is the feminine singular version, typically used with feminine nouns or in predicative position referring to a feminine subject.

In Icelandic, adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number. The base adjective is mögulegur (masculine). When negated with the prefix ó-, the stem remains, but the ending changes to reflect gender and number. For reference, the masculine singular form is ómögulegur, the neuter singular form is ómögulegt, and the feminine singular form is ómöguleg. Plural forms exist as well (e.g., ómögulegir, ómögulegar, ómöguleg), depending on gender and number of the noun they modify.

Usage notes: Ómögulegt is commonly used with the verb er to form the predicate, as in “Það er ómögulegt,” meaning “It is impossible.” It can also modify feminine nouns directly, as in “Lýsingin er ómöguleg” (“The description is impossible”). The word often appears in discussions of feasibility, planning, or limits, and can emphasize logical or practical constraints as opposed to mere preference.

Etymology: Ómöguleg is formed from the adjective mögulegur (possible) with the negating prefix ó-, a productive pattern in Icelandic for forming opposites. The term is closely related to the everyday concept of impossibility in Icelandic, and is part of standard descriptive vocabulary across formal and informal registers.