Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Ég er tilbúinn.

In this sentence, Ég is the subject pronoun meaning I; er is the first-person singular form of the verb vera (to be), acting as the linking verb; and tilbúinn is an adjective meaning ready. Notice that the adjective appears in its masculine singular form to agree with the subject.

Why is the adjective tilbúinn in its current form, and how does gender affect it?

Icelandic adjectives must agree with the noun or pronoun they modify in gender, number, and case. In Ég er tilbúinn, since ég is a singular pronoun and the speaker is presumed to be male, the adjective takes the masculine singular form tilbúinn. If the speaker were female, the form would change to tilbúin, and for a neuter subject it would be tilbúið.

What role does the verb er play in this sentence?

Er is the present tense form of vera (to be) and functions as a linking or copula verb. It connects the subject Ég with the adjective tilbúinn, much like the verb am works in the English sentence "I am ready."

Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun Ég in an Icelandic sentence, or can it be dropped?