# Icelandic: jú/já



## Silver_Biscuit

Hi,

I know that, when you're asked a question, whether to use jú or já is determined by whether the question is in a negative or a positive format.

Jón: Ertu frá Englandi?
Anna: Já

Jón: Ertu ekki frá Englandi?
Anna: Jú

In both cases, Anna is saying that she is from England. My question is: what about when you're not responding to a question, but a statement? Let's say Jón makes two statements, one in a negative form and one in a positive form, to somebody who disagrees with him, and then to someone who agrees with him. If my understanding is correct, the conversations could go like this:

Jón: Bókin er ekki vel skrifuð.
Gunnar: Jú, hún er mjög vel skrifuð.
Jón: Bókin er rusl.
Gunnar: Nei, hún er frábær.

Jón: Bókin er ekki vel skrifuð.
Anna: Nei, hún er illa skrifuð.
Jón: Bókin er rusl.
Anna: Já, hún er mjög vond.

I know these 'conversations' are pretty stupid, but I just wanted to check I understand when to use já/jú/nei in situations when you're agreeing or disagreeing with statements rather than answering questions. Do I have it right?


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## Alxmrphi

What I'm struggling with is:



> Jón: Bókin er ekki vel skrifuð.
> Gunnar: Jú, hún er mjög vel skrifuð.


If Gunnar thinks it was well written, and Jón just said it isn't well written, why would she be saying *yes* /* jú*?

_John: The book isn't well written.
Jack: Yes, the book is very well written._

It just doesn't seem right to me.


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## Silver_Biscuit

I don't know, Alex. I could be wrong about this. What I thought, though, was that 'jú' was sort of like saying 'yes it is' to a negative statement in order to disagree with it.

John: The book isn't well written.
Jack: Yes it is, the book is very well written.

Edit: Same with the questions.

John: Is this book not well written? / Er þessi bók ekki vel skrifuð?
Jack: Yes (it is) / Jú

That's my current understanding of the word.


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## Alxmrphi

Silver_Biscuit said:


> I don't know, Alex. I could be wrong about this. What I thought, though, was that 'jú' was sort of like saying 'yes it is' to a negative statement in order to disagree with it.
> 
> John: The book isn't well written.
> Jack: Yes it is, the book is very well written.



Ah I see, you meant it as "Yes it is".
What you wrote now makes sense, but I only thought it was used as a response to negative questions.

But there was a point in something I was listening to the other day where a guy started with "_Jú......_" and I knew it wasn't a question he was responding to, I did think about it for about 3-4 seconds before forgetting, so I imagine there is some sort of link like you are saying (a usage that isn't a response to a negative question).

Best to wait for the natives to see what they think.


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## sindridah

Hello

Silver_Biscuit "*jú*" you got it right, alltough do not describe a book as _vond_  _slæm/léleg_ is much much better.

1: Bókin er ekki vel skrifuð
2: Jú, hún er mjög vel skrifuð / Víst er hún mjög vel skrifuð aswell.


James Akenhead is the best!


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## Silver_Biscuit

sindridah said:


> Silver_Biscuit "*jú*" you got it right, alltough do not describe a book as _vond_  _slæm/léleg_ is much much better.


 
Ah, thanks very much. I'm often unsure when to used vondur and when to use slæmur, so this correction is greatly appreciated. I need to get a feel for when words sound wrong in certain situations, something I think will only come with more experience! Just for the record, is calling a book 'vond' like saying it is 'evil' rather than 'poor quality'?
Thanks for the confirmation on _jú_ as well. 

P.S. Yeah, you can have a signature. Go to your profile to set it.


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## sindridah

No, not at all evil, I think if i would try to put it in same context in English then it would be like describing a book like disgusting or the book tastes bad, Describing a book vond, it's just completely wrong 

Vondur is just used to describe a food, alltough it is sometimes used to describe persons but in really rare cases. But i would just habituate(?) vondur, only for food.


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## Alxmrphi

> Vondur is just used to describe a food, alltough it is sometimes used to  describe persons but in really rare cases. But i would just habituate(?) vondur, only for food.


Hvað er orðið sem maður notar á íslensku til að segja þetta?


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## sindridah

Alxmrphi said:


> Hvað er orðið sem maður notar á íslensku til að segja þetta?



The adjective is vanur but the verb is _venja._


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## Alxmrphi

sindridah said:


> The adjective is vanur but the verb is _venja._



I think a good word to use is _*associate*_ .
(_hvers vegna ertu ekki úti í miðbænum_? )


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## sindridah

Alxmrphi said:


> I think a good word to use is _*associate*_ .
> (_hvers vegna ertu ekki úti í miðbænum_? )



does _associate_ mean the same as following: _cling_, _contract_, fall int_o the habit of_ ?

I'm sick with a small fever


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## Alxmrphi

Do you mean...

"_It (vondur) can be used for people but I'd mainly just think of vondur as being associated with food_."

That's what it looked like you were trying to say, is that right?  (like '_get into the habit of using it just for food, but in some rare cases it is used for people_').


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## sindridah

Yes that's exactly what i was trying to say, get into the habit of just using vondur to describe a food. I thought associate was just some blondie working in a law firm.


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## Alxmrphi

sindridah said:


> Yes that's exactly what i was trying to say, get into the habit of just using vondur to describe a food. I thought associate was just some blondie working in a law firm.



Ha ha 
That's the noun:


> a person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor; "he had to consult his associate before continuing"


The verb (to associate) is much more common in English, basically meaning "make a connection", "link something to something else".
I think it's like *að tengja* in Icelandic.


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## Wilma_Sweden

From what I can tell, the jú/ja distinction works in similar ways in Swedish, where the equivalent of jü can also be used as a discourse particle at the start of a dialogue, similar to English well: Well, this book was a load of crap.

<Mod hat on:>Speaking of books and negative adjectives, I am now closing this thread temporarily because the topic changed. It will be split and re-opened within the next 24-48 hours. You know the rules, guys!


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