fylgja

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse fylgja, from Proto-Germanic *fulgijaną.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈfɪʎtʃa/

Noun

fylgja f (genitive singular fylgju, plural fylgjur)

  1. consequence
  2. companionship
  3. kind of guardian angel, guardian spirit, tutelary entity, which was held to follow each person or family and the relationship being affixed or bound at the process or ceremony of naming.

Declension

f1 singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative fylgja fylgjan fylgjur fylgjurnar
accusative fylgju fylgjuna fylgjur fylgjurnar
dative fylgju fylgjuni fylgjum fylgjunum
genitive fylgju fylgjunnar fylgja fylgjanna

Verb

fylgja (third person singular past indicative fylgdi, third person plural past indicative fylgt, supine fylgt)

  1. to accompany, to follow

Conjugation

Conjugation of (group v-10)
infinitive
supine fylgt
present past
first singular fylgi fylgdi
second singular fylgir fylgdi
third singular fylgir fylgdi
plural fylgja fylgdu
participle (a7)1 fylgjandi fylgdur
imperative
singular fylg!
plural fylgið!

1Only the past participle being declined.

Icelandic

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈfɪlca/
  • Rhymes: -ɪlca

Etymology 1

From Old Norse fylgja, from Proto-Germanic *fulgijaną.

Verb

fylgja (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative fylgdi, supine fylgt)

  1. to accompany, follow
  2. to legally belong with
  3. to come bundled with or be part of the benefits or rights that follow something
  4. to follow, abide by (a rule, law, tradition, etc.)
  5. to follow, agree with, support
Conjugation
fylgja – active voice (germynd)
infinitive nafnháttur fylgja
supine sagnbót fylgt
present participle
fylgjandi
indicative
subjunctive
present
past
present
past
singular ég fylgi fylgdi fylgi fylgdi
þú fylgir fylgdir fylgir fylgdir
hann, hún, það fylgir fylgdi fylgi fylgdi
plural við fylgjum fylgdum fylgjum fylgdum
þið fylgið fylgduð fylgið fylgduð
þeir, þær, þau fylgja fylgdu fylgi fylgdu
imperative boðháttur
singular þú fylg (þú), fylgdu
plural þið fylgið (þið), fylgiði1
1 Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.
fylgjast – mediopassive voice (miðmynd)
infinitive nafnháttur fylgjast
supine sagnbót fylgst
present participle
fylgjandist (rare; see appendix)
indicative
subjunctive
present
past
present
past
singular ég fylgist fylgdist fylgist fylgdist
þú fylgist fylgdist fylgist fylgdist
hann, hún, það fylgist fylgdist fylgist fylgdist
plural við fylgjumst fylgdumst fylgjumst fylgdumst
þið fylgist fylgdust fylgist fylgdust
þeir, þær, þau fylgjast fylgdust fylgist fylgdust
imperative boðháttur
singular þú fylgst (þú), fylgstu
plural þið fylgist (þið), fylgisti1
1 Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.
fylgdur — 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)
fylgdur fylgd fylgt fylgdir fylgdar fylgd
accusative
(þolfall)
fylgdan fylgda fylgt fylgda fylgdar fylgd
dative
(þágufall)
fylgdum fylgdri fylgdu fylgdum fylgdum fylgdum
genitive
(eignarfall)
fylgds fylgdrar fylgds fylgdra fylgdra fylgdra
weak declension
(veik beyging)
singular (eintala) plural (fleirtala)
masculine
(karlkyn)
feminine
(kvenkyn)
neuter
(hvorugkyn)
masculine
(karlkyn)
feminine
(kvenkyn)
neuter
(hvorugkyn)
nominative
(nefnifall)
fylgdi fylgda fylgda fylgdu fylgdu fylgdu
accusative
(þolfall)
fylgda fylgdu fylgda fylgdu fylgdu fylgdu
dative
(þágufall)
fylgda fylgdu fylgda fylgdu fylgdu fylgdu
genitive
(eignarfall)
fylgda fylgdu fylgda fylgdu fylgdu fylgdu

Etymology 2

Noun

fylgja f (genitive singular fylgju, nominative plural fylgjur)

  1. (obsolete) company (the act of accompanying, i.e. following, going as someone's companion)
    Synonym: fylgd
  2. placenta
    Synonyms: legkaka, barnsfylgja, fósturfylgja
  3. (folklore) a spirit which follows someone; guardian spirit
  4. (computing, slang) attachment (file sent with an e-mail message)
    Synonyms: viðhengi, fylgiskjal
Declension
Declension of fylgja (feminine)
singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative fylgja fylgjan fylgjur fylgjurnar
accusative fylgju fylgjuna fylgjur fylgjurnar
dative fylgju fylgjunni fylgjum fylgjunum
genitive fylgju fylgjunnar fylgna fylgnanna

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old Norse fylgja. Akin to English follow.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /²fʏljɑ/

Verb

fylgja (present tense fylgjer, past tense fylgde, past participle fylgt/fylgd, passive infinitive fylgjast, present participle fylgjande, imperative fylg)

  1. to follow

References

Old Norse

Etymology 1

From the below verb (Etymology 2). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

fylgja f

  1. companionship
  2. (Norse mythology) kind of guardian angel, guardian spirit, tutelary entity, which was held to follow each person or family and the relationship being affixed or bound at the process or ceremony of naming
Declension
Declension of fylgja (weak jōn-stem)
feminine singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative fylgja fylgjan fylgjur fylgjurnar
accusative fylgju fylgjuna fylgjur fylgjurnar
dative fylgju fylgjunni fylgjum fylgjunum
genitive fylgju fylgjunnar fylgna fylgnanna

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *fulgijaną (to follow).

Alternative forms

  • ᚠᚢᛚᚴᚦᚢ (fulkþu)Runic, 3rd plural past indicative

Verb

fylgja

  1. to accompany, to follow
Conjugation
Conjugation of fylgja — active (weak class 1)
infinitive fylgja
present participle fylgjandi
past participle fylgðr
indicative subjunctive
present past present past
1st person singular fylgi fylgða fylgja fylgða
2nd person singular fylgir fylgðir fylgir fylgðir
3rd person singular fylgir fylgði fylgi fylgði
1st person plural fylgjum fylgðum fylgim fylgðim
2nd person plural fylgið fylgðuð fylgið fylgðið
3rd person plural fylgja fylgðu fylgi fylgði
imperative present
2nd person singular fylg, fylgi
1st person plural fylgjum
2nd person plural fylgið
Conjugation of fylgja — mediopassive (weak class 1)
infinitive fylgjask
present participle fylgjandisk
past participle fylgzk
indicative subjunctive
present past present past
1st person singular fylgjumk fylgðumk fylgjumk fylgðumk
2nd person singular fylgisk fylgðisk fylgisk fylgðisk
3rd person singular fylgisk fylgðisk fylgisk fylgðisk
1st person plural fylgjumsk fylgðumsk fylgimsk fylgðimsk
2nd person plural fylgizk fylgðuzk fylgizk fylgðizk
3rd person plural fylgjask fylgðusk fylgisk fylgðisk
imperative present
2nd person singular fylgsk, fylgisk
1st person plural fylgjumsk
2nd person plural fylgizk
Descendants
  • Icelandic: fylgja
  • Faroese: fylgja
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: fylgja, følgja; (dialectal) fýgje, fòlgje, fylla, -e, følle, følgj, følgji, føll
  • Jamtish: fołi
  • Elfdalian: fya, fyå
  • Old Swedish: fylghia
  • Old Danish: fylghæ
  • Old Gutnish: fylgia
    • Gutnish: fylge

Further reading

  • Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “fylgja”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive