útgöngum

útgöngum is the dative plural form of the Icelandic noun útgangur, which means "exit" or "way out." In Icelandic, nouns decline for case and number, and útgangur has the dative plural form útgöngum. The base term útgangur is built from út- (out) and gangur (going, path), reflecting the idea of an outward passage or way out.

Usage and context

útgöngum appears primarily in grammatical descriptions, dictionaries, and formal or instructional Icelandic texts. It is used when the noun is governed by a preposition or a construction that requires the dative plural, or when referring to multiple exits within a location (for example, in bureaucratic or architectural descriptions). In everyday speech, the more common nominative form útgengur or other everyday phrasing is typically used, but útgöngum remains correct in its appropriate grammatical role.

Related forms

- útgangur: singular nominative (the exit)

- útgöngur: plural nominative (the exits)

- útgangs: genitive singular or plural in certain declensions

- útgöngum: dative plural (the form discussed here)

Notes

As an inflected form rather than a standalone semantic unit, útgöngum is most relevant for linguistic analysis, lexicography, and formal Icelandic prose. See also the related term útgangur for the base noun and its other grammatical forms.