Bíllinn er gamall.

The car is old.

Breakdown of Bíllinn er gamall.

• vera: to be
• bíllinn: the car
• gamall: old

Questions & Answers about Bíllinn er gamall.

What does the -inn ending in Bíllinn signify?

In Icelandic, definite articles are not separate words but are attached to the noun as suffixes. In this case, -inn indicates that bíllinn means the car (masculine singular definite).

How does the adjective gamall agree with bíllinn in this sentence?

Gamall is the masculine nominative singular form of the adjective, matching the noun bíllinn (which is masculine singular). In Icelandic, adjectives agree with the nouns they describe in gender and number. When used in a predicative position (following a copula like er), the adjective appears in its base form.

What is the role of the verb er in Bíllinn er gamall?

Er is the present tense form of the verb vera (to be). In this sentence, it acts as a linking (copular) verb connecting the subject bíllinn with the predicate adjective gamall.

Why is the definite article attached to the noun rather than being a separate word as in English?

Icelandic expresses definiteness by using suffixes that attach directly to the noun. For masculine singular nouns, -inn serves as the definite marker. This is one of the notable differences between Icelandic and English, where English uses a separate word (the) to indicate definiteness.