Kvöld er gott.

to be

Breakdown of Kvöld er gott.

• kvöld: the evening
• gott: good

Questions & Answers about Kvöld er gott.

Why is the adjective gott in its neuter form?

In Icelandic, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and definiteness. Since kvöld is a neuter noun, the adjective takes the neuter form gott instead of the masculine góður or feminine góð.

What is the literal meaning of Kvöld er gott and how does it compare to English?

Literally, the sentence means "Evening is good." It conveys that the evening is pleasant or enjoyable, much like saying "The evening is nice" in English, though notice that Icelandic omits a separate article in the indefinite context.

Why is there no definite article before kvöld in the sentence?

Icelandic handles definiteness with suffixes attached to nouns rather than with separate words like "the" in English. In this sentence, kvöld remains indefinite. If you wanted to say "the evening", you would add the definite article suffix and say kvöldið.

How does the verb er function in this sentence?

The word er is the present tense form of the verb vera (to be). It functions as a linking verb, connecting the subject kvöld with the predicate adjective gott. This is similar to how "is" connects the subject and predicate in English.

What are some common pitfalls English speakers might face when encountering sentences like Kvöld er gott?

A common challenge is managing adjective agreement. Unlike English, Icelandic adjectives change their form to match the gender, number, and definiteness of the noun they describe. Additionally, the use of suffixes to indicate definiteness (rather than separate words) can be confusing for learners. Understanding that kvöld is neuter helps determine that gott is the correct form in this context.