Plötuspilarinn virkar.

Because Icelandic, like the other Scandinavian languages, makes a lot of compound nouns and usually writes them as one word.

Here, plötuspilarinn is built from:

• plötu- = record / disc (a compound form of plata)
• spilari = player

So plötuspilari literally means something like record-player.

The ending -inn is the definite article attached to the noun. Icelandic often says the by adding it to the end of the word instead of using a separate word.

So:

• plötuspilari = a record player / record player
• plötuspilarinn = the record player

The dictionary form is plötuspilari.

That is the indefinite singular nominative form, which is the form you usually look up in a dictionary.

It is nominative singular.

That is because it is the subject of the sentence: it is the thing that works.

So in Plötuspilarinn virkar, the record player is the subject, and the verb agrees with that.

It is masculine.

You can tell partly from its pattern: nouns ending in -i are often masculine in Icelandic, and the definite form -inn here matches that masculine pattern.

Because virkar is the 3rd person singular present form of virka.

In this sentence, the subject is plötuspilarinn, which is singular, so Icelandic uses the singular verb form:

• að virka = to work / function
• virkar = works / is working

So Plötuspilarinn virkar is literally The record player works.

Yes. Að virka is exactly the normal verb for something functioning or working properly, especially a device, machine, system, or method.

That is different from English work when talking about having a job. For that, Icelandic usually uses other verbs such as vinna or starfa.

So:

• Plötuspilarinn virkar. = The record player works.
• Ég vinn. = I work.

In this sentence, yes: subject + verb.

• Plötuspilarinn = subject
• virkar = verb

So the structure is very straightforward.

A yes/no question would normally switch the order:

• Virkar plötuspilarinn? = Does the record player work?

A rough guide is:

PLÖ-tu-spi-la-rinn VIR-kar

A few helpful points:

• The stress in Icelandic is usually on the first syllable of each word.
• ö does not have an exact English equivalent. It is somewhat like the vowel in British English bird without a strong r, or like German ö.
• The r is usually tapped or rolled more than in English.

You do not need perfect pronunciation right away; getting the first-syllable stress right already helps a lot.

Then you would use plötuspilari instead of plötuspilarinn:

• Plötuspilari virkar.

Grammatically, that means a record player works or record player works, depending on context. In natural English, you would usually translate it with a if it is indefinite.

Yes. Besides function / work, virka can also mean something like seem or appear to be in some contexts.

For example, it can be used for:

• a machine functioning
• an idea or method working
• something seeming a certain way

So it is a very useful verb, but in Plötuspilarinn virkar, the meaning is the straightforward functions / works sense.