iċ
The English phrase 'I' is translated into Old English as iċ. If unsure, use iċ. Wiktionary also lists ih.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
Ways to say it
| Old English | IPA |
|---|---|
| iċ | |
| ih | /ix/ |
Which one should you use?
iċ is the standard form, while ih is a variant spelling that is often found in manuscripts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form iċ is the nominative singular subject form of the first-person pronoun. If you wish to refer to a group of people (the plural 'we'), the Old English form is we.
Did you know?
- The sound of the ċ in iċ was originally a 'ch' sound as in 'church', meaning the word sounded more like 'ich' than the modern 'I'.
- The word iċ is a cognate of the German word ich and the Dutch word ik, showing the shared Germanic roots of these first-person pronouns.
- While modern English uses 'I' as a distinct, capitalized word, Old English did not have a rule for capitalizing personal pronouns like iċ.
Examples in context
- Iċ wæs ġēo ġeong.I was young once.Tatoeba #13906513 by rul, translation #2549366 by CK
- We syndon hæleþas.We are heroes.
- Þæt ic sylf wille.That I myself desire.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their plans for the day.
- GodricHwǣr gāst þū?Where are you going?
- WulfrunIċ gā tō þām tūne.I am going to the village.
- GodricWilt þū mē niman?Do you want to take me?
- WulfrunGēa, iċ wille.Yes, I will.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries ih, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
