Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Komdu í eldhús.

Komdu is the imperative form of the verb að koma, which means to come. It is used here as a direct command telling someone to come into the kitchen.

What does eldhús translate to in English?

Eldhús means kitchen in English.

Why is there no explicit subject, like you, in the sentence?

In Icelandic imperatives, as in English, the subject is typically omitted because it is understood that the command is directed to the listener. The command komdu inherently addresses you without needing to state it.

Why is the preposition í used here, and what does it imply about the case of eldhús?

The preposition í indicates movement into or towards a location, much like into in English. In Icelandic, when í expresses motion or change of location, it generally governs the accusative case. For neuter nouns like eldhús, the form often remains the same in both the nominative and accusative.

How is the imperative form komdu formed from the verb að koma?

To form the imperative, you take the stem of the verb—which is kom- in að koma—and add the second person singular ending -du. This pattern of formation is common in Icelandic for issuing commands to one person.

If I want to command more than one person, does the imperative form change?

Yes, Icelandic distinguishes between singular and plural imperatives. When addressing multiple people, you would typically use komið instead of komdu to indicate that the command is aimed at more than one person.