Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Icelandic grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Símtalið er gott.
What does the word símtalið mean, and how does its form indicate that it is definite?
Símtalið means "the phone call". The base noun is símtal (meaning "call"), and the addition of the suffix -ið marks it as definite. In Icelandic, instead of placing a separate article before the noun, a suffix is attached to indicate definiteness.
Why is the adjective gott in its neuter form in this sentence?
In Icelandic, adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. Since símtal is a neuter noun, the adjective takes its neuter form gott. If the noun were masculine or feminine, the adjective would appear as góður or góð, respectively.
What role does the verb er play in the sentence Símtalið er gott?
Er is the present tense form of the verb vera ("to be"). It functions as a linking verb, connecting the subject símtalið with the predicate adjective gott, much like the English verb "is" in the sentence "The phone call is good."
How is the definite article expressed in Icelandic as seen in símtalið?
Instead of using a separate word for "the" as in English, Icelandic attaches a definite article to the noun as a suffix. In the case of símtal, adding produces , indicating that it is a specific, definite phone call. This method is common for neuter nouns in Icelandic.