Bróðirinn er sterkur.

to be

Breakdown of Bróðirinn er sterkur.

• sterkur: strong
• bróðirinn: the brother

Questions & Answers about Bróðirinn er sterkur.

Why does bróðirinn end with -inn instead of using a separate word like “the”?

In Icelandic the definite article is suffixed to the noun rather than being a separate word. For masculine nouns in the nominative singular you add -inn.

• bróðir = “brother” (indefinite)
• bróðirinn = “the brother” (definite)

Why is the adjective sterkur not sterkurinn when it follows er?

Adjectives used predicatively (i.e. after a form of vera “to be”) stay in their base (indefinite) form but still agree in gender, number, and case. They never take the definite suffix. Hence:

• Bróðirinn er sterkur. “The brother is strong.”

What gender, number, and case are bróðirinn and sterkur in this sentence?

Both are masculine nominative singular.

• Bróðirinn (subject of the verb) → masc. nom. sg.
• sterkur (predicative adjective) → masc. nom. sg., agreeing with the noun

How would you say “The sister is strong” in Icelandic?

Use the feminine forms:

• systir = “sister” (fem.)
• Definite suffix for fem. nom. sg. is -in, and the fem. adj. ending is -k.
  So: Systirin er sterk.

How do you make the sentence negative (“The brother is not strong”)?

Insert ekki (“not”) immediately after the verb:
Bróðirinn er ekki sterkur.

How do you form the question “Is the brother strong?”

Invert the verb and the subject:
Er bróðirinn sterkur?

How do you pronounce Bróðirinn er sterkur?

Approximate English respelling:

• Bróðirinn = “BROH-thir-in”
  • ó = long “o” (like “go”), ð = soft “th” as in “this”, double nn slightly lengthened
• er = “air” (like English “air”)
• sterkur = “STEHR-kur”
  • e = “e” in “met”, u ≈ German “ü” (or “u” in “push”), stress on first syllable