þykir

þykir is the present-tense, third-person singular form of the Icelandic verb þykja, which means to seem, to appear, or to be felt as. In ordinary use it expresses a perception or an evaluative impression rather than a statement of fact. The construction is often impersonal in effect, with the person to whom the impression is directed expressed in the dative.

In typical sentences the experiencer is in the dative: mér, þér, honum, etc. The thing that seems is the subject of the clause, or it can be introduced with a demonstrative such as þetta or þetta. Examples include: Mér þykir þetta gott. “To me, this seems good.” Það þykir mörgum erfitt. “That seems difficult to many.” Þykir þér þetta rétt? “Do you think this is right?”

The verb is commonly used for expressing personal opinion, judgment, or impression, and it can combine with adjectives or other predicatives to convey evaluation: mér þykir breytt eða þykir illa. In context it often translates as “it seems to me” or “I think (it) is…,” though it does not directly equate to the English verb think in all senses.

Etymology traces þykja to Old Norse þykkja, meaning to seem or appear; it is related to cognate forms in other Germanic languages that express perception or evaluation. In modern Icelandic, þykir remains a frequent device for stating subjective judgments in neutral, understated prose.

See also: þykja (verb), perception verbs in Icelandic, dative experiencer constructions.