Hurðin er opin.

to be

Breakdown of Hurðin er opin.

• opin: open
• hurðin: the door

Questions & Answers about Hurðin er opin.

What does Hurðin mean and why does it have the -in ending?

Hurðin means "the door". In Icelandic, the definite article is attached to the noun as a suffix. Here, hurð (meaning "door") becomes hurðin with the -in suffix indicating that it is definite.

What role does er play in this sentence?

Er is the present tense form of the verb vera (to be). It functions as a linking verb in the sentence, equivalent to "is" in the English sentence "The door is open."

How does the adjective opin agree with the noun hurðin?

The adjective opin is in the nominative feminine singular form. In Icelandic, adjectives agree with their nouns in gender, number, and definiteness. Since hurðin is a definite, feminine noun, the adjective takes the appropriate form opin to match.

Why isn’t there a separate word for "the" in Icelandic?

Icelandic conveys definiteness by adding a suffix to the noun rather than using a separate word. Thus, hurð becomes hurðin, meaning "the door", without the need for a distinct word for "the."