þarfa

Þarfa is a term that appears in Old Norse and Icelandic linguistic references to denote the concept of need or necessity. In modern Icelandic, the everyday expression of this idea is primarily captured by the noun þörf (need, necessity) and by the verb to need, which is usually given as þurfa or þarf in present usage. The form þarfa itself is encountered mainly in historical descriptions, philological discussions, or dictionaries that trace the root and inflection of the verb rather than in contemporary speech.

In terms of usage, the modern Icelandic verb to need is used with the infinitive through constructions such as ég þarf að fara, meaning “I need to go.” The present tense forms include þarf (you need, he/she/it needs) and við þurfum or þurfum (we need) depending on standard conjugation patterns; the past tense is typically formed with þurfti (I/you/he/they needed). While þörf functions as the general noun for need, þarfa is most often discussed in linguistic works as part of the historical verb system related to need and obligation rather than as a freely used everyday word.

Etymology and related terms place þarfa within the Germanic family of words for necessity. It is connected to cognate terms and to the broader semantic field of obligation, requirement, and usefulness in Old Norse and other North Germanic languages. In modern Icelandic reference works, the discussion typically centers on the verb þarf and the noun þörf, with þarfa treated as a historic or etymological item rather than a current lexical entry.

See also: þörf; þurfa; Icelandic grammar; need; obligation.