Ég er Anna.

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Breakdown of Ég er Anna.

• vera: to be
• Anna: Anna

Questions & Answers about Ég er Anna.

How do you pronounce Ég?

Ég is pronounced somewhat like "yeh" in most dialects. The é represents a sound similar to the æ in "yes," but with a slight y quality at the start.

What does er mean in this sentence?

er is the present tense form of the verb meaning "to be," so it corresponds to "am" in English: Ég er = "I am."

Why isn’t there an article before Anna?

Icelandic doesn’t use an article before proper names. In English, you typically wouldn’t say "I am the Anna," so it’s similar in that regard, but Icelandic has even fewer article uses overall.

Does the name Anna change form in other cases?

Yes, Icelandic names can change depending on grammatical case, but in basic sentences like Ég er Anna, the nominative form remains Anna. In other cases, you might see different forms like Önnu (accusative or dative).

When would I say Ég heiti Anna instead of Ég er Anna?

Ég heiti Anna literally means "I am called Anna" and is common when introducing yourself. Ég er Anna simply states "I am Anna," which also works but focuses on identity rather than naming. Both are correct, just slightly different in nuance.