Bíllinn er lítill.

to be

Breakdown of Bíllinn er lítill.

• lítill: small
• bíllinn: the car

Questions & Answers about Bíllinn er lítill.

Why does the noun have -inn added to it instead of having a separate word for the?

In Icelandic, the definite article is typically suffixed to the noun rather than standing as a separate word. So bíll (car) becomes bíllinn (the car). This is standard practice for forming definite nouns in Icelandic, and the exact suffix (-inn, -in, -ið, -inir, -inar, etc.) can vary depending on the gender, number, and case of the noun.

Why is the form of the adjective lítill used here?

Icelandic adjectives must agree in case, number, and gender with the noun they describe. Bíll is a masculine singular noun in the nominative case, so the adjective lítill (small) must appear in the masculine singular nominative form. If the noun were feminine or neuter, or if it were plural, the adjective would change accordingly.

What is the function of er in this sentence?

Er is the present tense third-person singular form of the verb að vera (to be). It simply links the subject bíllinn to its description lítill. In other words, it’s acting as the copular verb that states 'the car is small.'

How do you pronounce lítill correctly?