Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Icelandic grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Dagurinn er góður.
Why is dagurinn used instead of dagur?
In Icelandic, the definite article is added to the end of the noun rather than placed before it as a separate word. The indefinite form is dagur (meaning a day), while the definite form is dagurinn (meaning the day).
What does er mean in this sentence?
Er is simply the present tense of the verb to be in Icelandic, equivalent to is in English.
Why does góður end in -ur?
Góður is the masculine nominative singular form of the adjective good. Since dagurinn is a masculine noun in the nominative case, the adjective must agree with it in gender, number, and case, hence the -ur ending.
Do I need to worry about changing góður if I talk about other genders?
Yes. For feminine nouns, you would typically use góð, and for neuter nouns, gott. Icelandic adjectives must match the gender, number, and case of the nouns they describe.