Eru álagningarseðillinn og vaxtabæturnar tilbúin?

Are the tax assessment notice and the mortgage interest benefits ready?

Breakdown of Eru álagningarseðillinn og vaxtabæturnar tilbúin?

• vera: to be
• tilbúinn: ready
• og: and
• álagningarseðillinn: the tax assessment notice

Questions & Answers about Eru álagningarseðillinn og vaxtabæturnar tilbúin?

Why does the sentence start with Eru?

Because this is a yes/no question. In Icelandic, yes/no questions normally put the finite verb first.

• Statement: Álagningarseðillinn og vaxtabæturnar eru tilbúin.
• Question: Eru álagningarseðillinn og vaxtabæturnar tilbúin?

So the fronted eru is the Icelandic equivalent of English Are ...?

Why is it eru and not er?

Because the subject is compound: it contains two things joined by og (and):

• álagningarseðillinn = one item
• vaxtabæturnar = another item

Together, they make a plural subject, so the verb must be plural:

• er = is
• eru = are

Even though álagningarseðillinn is singular by itself, the full subject is plural because it means X and Y.

Why are both nouns definite: álagningarseðillinn and vaxtabæturnar?