svona

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse svána. Composed of svo (“so, thus”) +‎ -na (proximal suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsvɔːna/
• (colloquial) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔːna/
• Rhymes: -ɔːna

Adverb

svona (not comparable)

1. thus, like this

   Til þess að hitta í körfuna verðurðu að kasta boltanum svona.

   To hit the basket you have to throw the ball like this.

2. to this degree; this

   Ég vissi ekki að þú værir svona góður!

   I didn’t know you were this good!

3. (colloquial) approximately, about, like

   Ég fór síðast í bíó fyrir svona mánuði.

   The last time I went to the movies was like a month ago.

Coordinate terms

• (like this): þannig (“like that”), svoleiðis (“like that”)
• (to this degree): svo (“so, to such a degree”), það (“to that degree”)

Adjective

svona (not comparable)

1. like this, such

   Það er eitthvað að svona fólki.

   There’s something wrong with people like this.

Coordinate terms

• (like this): slíkur (“such, like that”), þannig (“like that”), svoleiðis (“like that”)

Derived terms

• svona, svona (“there, there”)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• svånå (dialectal, Dovre)

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²svoːna/

Verb

svona (present tense svonar, past tense svona, past participle svona, passive infinitive svonast, present participle svonande, imperative svona/svon)

1. (about water) to grow, rise, overflow

   Synonym: svella

   Antonym: svana (“to dwindle, shrink”)

   Pass på gryta so ho ikkje svonar over!

   Look after the pot so that it doesn’t overflow!

Related terms

• Svone (Svånå) (a river in Lesja, Dovre and Oppdal)

References

• “svona”, in Norsk Ordbok: ordbok over det norske folkemålet og det nynorske skriftmålet, Oslo: Samlaget, 1950-2016
• Alf Eriksen (1996) Ord og uttrykk frå Dovre, page 204