Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Ég kaupi ný föt þegar ég hef næga peninga. - I buy new clothes when I have enough money.

“Kaupi” is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb kaupa (“to buy”). It shows that the speaker is stating a habitual or general action—essentially, “I buy new clothes…”—without marking any specific past or future time.

How do the adjectives ný and næga agree with the nouns they modify?

In Icelandic, adjectives must agree with their nouns in gender, number, and case. Here, ný modifies föt (clothes) and takes the plural form required by that noun, while næga modifies peninga (money) and adopts the form that matches its case. Because there are no articles present, both adjectives use their strong declension forms to reflect the correct grammatical features of their nouns.

Why is the subordinate clause “þegar ég hef næga peninga” structured differently from the main clause?

Icelandic main clauses typically follow a verb-second (V2) word order, which is why the main clause starts with the verb following the subject. However, subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like þegar (“when”) follow a different rule—placing the subject before the verb. This explains why we see “ég hef næga peninga” instead of a rearranged word order.

Why are there no articles before föt and peninga in this sentence?

Icelandic often omits articles when referring to things in a general or indefinite sense. In this sentence, the meaning is clear from the context and the noun declensions, much like how English sometimes drops articles (e.g., “I buy new clothes” rather than “I buy the new clothes”), so explicit articles aren’t necessary.

What is the significance of the case endings in föt and peninga here?

The case endings in Icelandic indicate the grammatical role of a noun within a sentence. Föt and peninga carry specific endings (with peninga showing a declined form of peningur) to signal that they function as objects in their respective clauses. This, in turn, requires the adjectives modifying them to display corresponding endings, ensuring clear and consistent agreement throughout the sentence.

What key differences between Icelandic and English grammar are illustrated in this sentence?

This sentence highlights several unique aspects of Icelandic grammar:
• Adjective Agreement: Unlike English, Icelandic adjectives change form to match the noun’s gender, number, and case.
• Sentence Structure: Main clauses observe a V2 order, while subordinate clauses (introduced by words like þegar) follow a subject-first pattern.
• Article Usage: Articles are often omitted in Icelandic when the context is general, whereas English typically uses articles even in generic statements.