hvað

See also: hvad

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse hvat, originally the neuter form of *hver (from Proto-Germanic *hwaz), but conflated with hverr (whence Modern Icelandic hver). Corresponds to Proto-Germanic *hwat, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷód, *kʷod. See hver.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʰvaːð/

  • Audio:

    (file)

  • Homophone: kvað
• IPA^(key): /xʷaːð/ (dialectal, now rare)
• Rhymes: -aːð

Pronoun

hvað

1. nominative/accusative neuter singular of hver: what

   Hvað gerði ég vitlaust?

   What did I do wrong?

   Eftir hverju bíðum við?

   What are we waiting for?

Usage notes

• hvert is used when there is an associated noun governed by the pronoun; hvað is used when there is no such noun.

Derived terms

• af hverju (“why”)
• hvað segirðu (“how are you”)

Adverb

hvað

1. how (with reference to an adjective or an adverb)

   Hvað er dóttir þín gömul?

   How old is your daughter?

   Þeir vissu ekki hvað þeir yrðu lengi í burtu.

   They didn't know how long they would be away.