Númeraplatan er hrein.

The license plate is clean.

Breakdown of Númeraplatan er hrein.

• vera: to be
• hreint: clean
• númeraplatan: the license plate

Questions & Answers about Númeraplatan er hrein.

Why is there no separate word for the in Númeraplatan?

Because Icelandic usually puts the definite article on the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.

• númeraplata = a license plate / number plate
• númeraplatan = the license plate / the number plate

So the -n at the end is doing the job that the does in English.

Why is númeraplata written as one word?

Icelandic usually writes compound nouns as a single word.

So:

• númera
  • plata → númeraplata

This is very normal in Icelandic. English often uses two words where Icelandic prefers one compound word.

What exactly does númeraplatan mean?

It means the license plate or the number plate.

In everyday English, the most natural translation depends on the variety of English:

• British English: number plate
• American English: license plate

So the Icelandic sentence is talking about the plate on a vehicle.

What form is er?