mæla

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse mæla.

Verb

mæla

1. to speak, to say
2. to recommend

Conjugation

Conjugation of mæla (group v-2-1)

infinitive	mæla
supine	mælt
	present	past
first singular	mæli	mælti/ mældi
second singular	mælir	mælti/ mældi
third singular	mælir	mælti/ mældi
plural	mæla	mæltu/ mældu
participle (a7/a5)1	mælandi	mæltur/ mældur
	imperative
singular	mæl!
plural	mælið!

¹Only the past participle being declined.

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmaiːla/
• Rhymes: -aiːla

Etymology 1

From Old Norse mæla, from Proto-Germanic *maþlijaną.

Verb

mæla (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative mælti, supine mælt)

1. to speak, to say, to talk

Conjugation

mæla – active voice (germynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að mæla
supine sagnbót		mælt
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		mælandi
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	mæli	mælti		mæli	mælti
	þú	mælir	mæltir		mælir	mæltir
	hann, hún, það	mælir	mælti		mæli	mælti
plural	við	mælum	mæltum		mælum	mæltum
	þið	mælið	mæltuð		mælið	mæltuð
	þeir, þær, þau	mæla	mæltu		mæli	mæltu
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	mæl (þú), mæltu
plural	þið	mælið (þið), mæliði1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

mælast – mediopassive voice (miðmynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að mælast
supine sagnbót		mælst
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		mælandist (rare; see appendix)
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	mælist	mæltist		mælist	mæltist
	þú	mælist	mæltist		mælist	mæltist
	hann, hún, það	mælist	mæltist		mælist	mæltist
plural	við	mælumst	mæltumst		mælumst	mæltumst
	þið	mælist	mæltust		mælist	mæltust
	þeir, þær, þau	mælast	mæltust		mælist	mæltust
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	mælst (þú), mælstu
plural	þið	mælist (þið), mælisti1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

mæltur — past participle (lýsingarháttur þátíðar)

strong declension (sterk beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	mæltur	mælt	mælt	mæltir	mæltar	mælt
accusative (þolfall)	mæltan	mælta	mælt	mælta	mæltar	mælt
dative (þágufall)	mæltum	mæltri	mæltu	mæltum	mæltum	mæltum
genitive (eignarfall)	mælts	mæltrar	mælts	mæltra	mæltra	mæltra
weak declension (veik beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	mælti	mælta	mælta	mæltu	mæltu	mæltu
accusative (þolfall)	mælta	mæltu	mælta	mæltu	mæltu	mæltu
dative (þágufall)	mælta	mæltu	mælta	mæltu	mæltu	mæltu
genitive (eignarfall)	mælta	mæltu	mælta	mæltu	mæltu	mæltu

Derived terms

• ummæli
• mæla með

Related terms

• mál

Etymology 2

From Old Norse mæla, from Proto-Germanic *mēlijaną.

Verb

mæla (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative mældi, supine mælt)

1. to measure

Conjugation

mæla – active voice (germynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að mæla
supine sagnbót		mælt
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		mælandi
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	mæli	mældi		mæli	mældi
	þú	mælir	mældir		mælir	mældir
	hann, hún, það	mælir	mældi		mæli	mældi
plural	við	mælum	mældum		mælum	mældum
	þið	mælið	mælduð		mælið	mælduð
	þeir, þær, þau	mæla	mældu		mæli	mældu
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	mæl (þú), mældu
plural	þið	mælið (þið), mæliði1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

mælast – mediopassive voice (miðmynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að mælast
supine sagnbót		mælst
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		mælandist (rare; see appendix)
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	mælist	mældist		mælist	mældist
	þú	mælist	mældist		mælist	mældist
	hann, hún, það	mælist	mældist		mælist	mældist
plural	við	mælumst	mældumst		mælumst	mældumst
	þið	mælist	mældust		mælist	mældust
	þeir, þær, þau	mælast	mældust		mælist	mældust
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	mælst (þú), mælstu
plural	þið	mælist (þið), mælisti1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

mældur — past participle (lýsingarháttur þátíðar)

strong declension (sterk beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	mældur	mæld	mælt	mældir	mældar	mæld
accusative (þolfall)	mældan	mælda	mælt	mælda	mældar	mæld
dative (þágufall)	mældum	mældri	mældu	mældum	mældum	mældum
genitive (eignarfall)	mælds	mældrar	mælds	mældra	mældra	mældra
weak declension (veik beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	mældi	mælda	mælda	mældu	mældu	mældu
accusative (þolfall)	mælda	mældu	mælda	mældu	mældu	mældu
dative (þágufall)	mælda	mældu	mælda	mældu	mældu	mældu
genitive (eignarfall)	mælda	mældu	mælda	mældu	mældu	mældu

Derived terms

• mæling
• mælieining

Related terms

• mál

Etymology 3

Noun

mæla

1. inflection of mælir:
   1. indefinite accusative plural
   2. indefinite genitive plural

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From Old Norse mæla (“to utter”), from Proto-Germanic *maþlijaną.

Alternative forms

• mæle (e-infinitive)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²meːlɑ/

Verb

mæla (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)

1. to say, utter

Etymology 2

From Old Norse mæla (“to measure”).

Alternative forms

• mæle (e-infinitive)

Verb

mæla (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)

1. to measure ((pre-2012) alternative form of måla)

Etymology 3

Unknown.

Alternative forms

• mæle (e-infinitive)

Verb

mæla (present tense mæler, past tense mælte, past participle mælt, passive infinitive mælast, present participle mælande, imperative mæl)

1. (transitive, colloquial) to kick, throw, or beat (a ball) forcefully and aimlessly

Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Alternative forms

• mæli (dated)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²meːlɑ/

Noun

mæla n

1. definite plural of mæle

Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *maþlijaną.

Verb

mæla

1. to speak

Conjugation

Conjugation of mæla — active (weak class 1)

infinitive	mæla
present participle	mælandi
past participle	mæltr
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	mæli	mælta		mæla	mælta
2nd person singular	mælir	mæltir		mælir	mæltir
3rd person singular	mælir	mælti		mæli	mælti
1st person plural	mælum	mæltum		mælim	mæltim
2nd person plural	mælið	mæltuð		mælið	mæltið
3rd person plural	mæla	mæltu		mæli	mælti
imperative	present
2nd person singular	mæl, mæli
1st person plural	mælum
2nd person plural	mælið

Conjugation of mæla — mediopassive (weak class 1)

infinitive	mælask
present participle	mælandisk
past participle	mælzk
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	mælumk	mæltumk		mælumk	mæltumk
2nd person singular	mælisk	mæltisk		mælisk	mæltisk
3rd person singular	mælisk	mæltisk		mælisk	mæltisk
1st person plural	mælumsk	mæltumsk		mælimsk	mæltimsk
2nd person plural	mælizk	mæltuzk		mælizk	mæltizk
3rd person plural	mælask	mæltusk		mælisk	mæltisk
imperative	present
2nd person singular	mælsk, mælisk
1st person plural	mælumsk
2nd person plural	mælizk

Descendants

• Icelandic: mæla
• Faroese: mæla
• Norwegian Nynorsk: mæla
• Norwegian Bokmål: mæle
• Old Swedish: mǣla, mælla
  • Swedish: mäla
• Old Danish: mælæ
  • Scanian: mæla, møla, mælla
  • Danish: mæle
• Gutnish: melä

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse mæla, from Proto-Germanic *maþlijaną.

Verb

mǣla

1. to speak, utter

Conjugation

Conjugation of mǣla (weak)

	present				past
infinitive	mǣla				—
participle	mǣlandi, mǣlande				mǣlter
active voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative		indicative	subjunctive
iæk	mǣlir	mǣli, mǣle	—		mǣlti, mǣlte	mǣlti, mǣlte
þū	mǣlir	mǣli, mǣle	mǣl		mǣlti, mǣlte	mǣlti, mǣlte
han	mǣlir	mǣli, mǣle	—		mǣlti, mǣlte	mǣlti, mǣlte
vīr	mǣlum, mǣlom	mǣlum, mǣlom	mǣlum, mǣlom		mǣltum, mǣltom	mǣltum, mǣltom
īr	mǣlin	mǣlin	mǣlin		mǣltin	mǣltin
þēr	mǣla	mǣlin	—		mǣltu, mǣlto	mǣltin
mediopassive voice	indicative	subjunctive	imperative		indicative	subjunctive
iæk	mǣlis	mǣlis, mǣles	—		mǣltis, mǣltes	mǣltis, mǣltes
þū	mǣlis	mǣlis, mǣles	—		mǣltis, mǣltes	mǣltis, mǣltes
han	mǣlis	mǣlis, mǣles	—		mǣltis, mǣltes	mǣltis, mǣltes
vīr	mǣlums, mǣloms	mǣlums, mǣloms	—		mǣltums, mǣltoms	mǣltums, mǣltoms
īr	mǣlins	mǣlins	—		mǣltins	mǣltins
þēr	mǣlas	mǣlins	—		mǣltus, mǣltos	mǣltins

Descendants

• Swedish: mäla

References

• mäla in Knut Fredrik Söderwall, Ordbok öfver svenska medeltids-språket, del 2:1: M-T