ótryggðu

Ótryggðu is an Icelandic verb form that functions as the negative imperative of the verb tryggja, meaning to guarantee, secure, or insure. In effect, ótryggðu conveys the sense of “do not guarantee” or “do not secure.” In modern standard Icelandic, negative imperatives are usually formed with the particle ekki plus the affirmative imperative, for example, ekki tryggðu. As a result, the prefixed form ótryggðu is relatively uncommon in everyday speech and tends to appear in historical texts, legal diction, or stylistic contexts where the negating prefix is preserved.

In addition to this imperative form, related words derive from the same root. Ótryggður is an adjective meaning “unreliable” or “uninsured,” while ótryggt can describe something that is “unsecured” or “uninsured.” These forms illustrate how the prefix ó- negates a base meaning and can be applied to different parts of speech.

Usage and translation depend on context. Ótryggðu translates most directly as a directive to refrain from guaranteeing something, but in practice, modern Icelandic commonly uses ekki tryggðu or other constructions to express the same idea. The prefixed form remains primarily of linguistic or historical interest, useful for understanding negation patterns and the range of imperative moods in Icelandic.

Etymology-wise, ótryggðu derives from the combination of ó- (a negating prefix) and tryggja (to guarantee/secure), with the ending adapted to the second-person singular imperative form.