þola

þola is an Icelandic verb meaning to endure, bear, tolerate, or suffer something. It covers physical endurance as well as figurative tolerance, and is commonly used with direct objects, as in Ég þoli sársaukann (I endure the pain) or Hún þolir að vinna langa vinnudaga (She endures long workdays).

Etymology and cognates: The verb derives from Old Norse þola and belongs to a North Germanic set of words for bearing hardship. It is cognate with Danish tåle, Norwegian tåle, and Swedish tåla, reflecting a shared Nordic heritage for the notion of enduring or tolerating.

Usage and forms: Infinitive þola. Present tense forms include ég þoli and hann/ hún þolir (he/she endures); past tense forms are typically ég þoldi and hann þoldi (I/ he endured). The past participle is þolinn (endured), and the present participle is þolandi (enduring). Noun forms related to the concept include þol (endurance, tolerance) and þolinmæði (patience).

Usage notes: In modern Icelandic, þola governs both tolerating behavior and bearing hardship. Negative constructions such as ég þoli ekki (I can’t stand it) emphasize strong rejection or refusal to endure. Common collocations include þola sársaukann (to endure the pain) and þola þrautir (to endure trials). The word is often used in discussions of resilience, limits, and personal or collective endurance.

See also: Related North Germanic terms such as Danish tåle and Swedish tåla reflect a shared linguistic background for enduring and tolerating pressures across the Nordic languages.