Gullið er dýrt.

The gold is expensive.

Breakdown of Gullið er dýrt.

• vera: to be
• dýr: expensive
• gullið: the gold

Questions & Answers about Gullið er dýrt.

Why does gull become gullið?

Because Icelandic usually adds the definite article to the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like the.

• gull = gold
• gullið = the gold

Here, -ið is the neuter singular definite ending.

What gender is gull?

Gull is a neuter noun.

That matters because adjectives in Icelandic have to agree with the noun they describe. In this sentence, the adjective appears as dýrt, and that -t ending shows neuter singular agreement.

Why is it dýrt and not just dýr?

Because Icelandic adjectives change form to match the noun in gender, number, and case.

The dictionary form is usually dýr, but here the noun is:

• neuter
• singular
• nominative

So the adjective becomes dýrt.

Why is it dýrt even though gullið is definite?