Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Ég kaupi stólinn.

Ég means I (the subject). Kaupi is the present tense form of the verb kaupa, which means to buy. Stólinn is the definite form of stóll and translates to the chair. So the sentence means I buy the chair.

Why does stóll change to stólinn in this sentence?

In Icelandic, definite articles are attached to the noun as a suffix rather than appearing as separate words. For masculine singular nouns like stóll, adding -inn forms the definite version—thus stólinn means the chair.

What tense is the verb kaupi in, and how do I know?

Kaupi is in the present tense. Icelandic verbs are conjugated to agree with the subject; kaupi is the first person singular form of kaupa, corresponding to I buy in English.

How does the word order of this Icelandic sentence compare with English?

The sentence follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) order, much like English. Ég (subject) is followed by kaupi (verb) and then stólinn (object). The main difference is that the definite article in Icelandic is a suffix on the noun, unlike the separate word the in English.

How would I express the past tense, as in "I bought the chair," in Icelandic?

To form the past tense, you change the verb. The past tense of kaupa (to buy) is keypti in the first person singular. Therefore, I bought the chair becomes Ég keypti stólinn.