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Questions & Answers about Ég sé foreldrið.
Why is the verb sjá written as sé in this sentence?
Because Icelandic verbs change form according to person and number. sé is the irregular first-person-singular present indicative of sjá (“to see”). The infinitive is sjá, but when you say “I see,” you must use sé.
How do you conjugate sjá in the present tense?
Present indicative of sjá:
- ég sé (I see)
- þú sérð (you see)
- hann/hún/það ser (he/she/it sees)
- við sjáum (we see)
- þið sjáið (you pl see)
- þeir/þær/þau sjá (they see)
Why does foreldrið end with -ið?
In Icelandic the definite article attaches to the noun as a suffix. For a neuter noun in the singular, that suffix is -ið. So foreldri (“parent”) becomes foreldrið (“the parent”).
What case and number is foreldrið in this sentence?
It’s accusative singular, because sjá is a transitive verb taking a direct object in the accusative. For neuter nouns, the accusative singular form looks the same as the nominative, which is why you see foreldrið in both roles.
What is the gender of foreldri?
foreldri is a neuter noun. That’s why its definite singular ending is -ið (neuter form) and why its nominative and accusative singular are identical.
Why don’t we use a separate word for “the” like in English?
Icelandic doesn’t have a free-standing definite article. Instead, it uses suffixes on the noun. The exact suffix depends on the noun’s gender, number, and case (for example, masculine nominative -inn, feminine nominative -in, neuter nominative/accusative -ið, etc.).
Why don’t we use a preposition like á with sjá, as we do with horfa á (“to watch”)?
sjá is a simple transitive verb that takes its object in the accusative without any preposition. By contrast, horfa á requires á because it literally means “to look at.” So you say ég sé foreldrið (“I see the parent”) but ég horfi á foreldrið (“I watch/look at the parent”).
Can you omit the pronoun ég in Icelandic?
Yes. Because the verb form sé already shows first-person singular, you can drop ég if context is clear. Sé foreldrið still means “I see the parent,” though leaving out ég can sound a bit clipped or emphatic.
How would you say “I see a parent” (indefinite) instead of “the parent”?
Use the indefinite form without the article suffix: ég sé foreldri.
How would you say “I see the parents” (plural)?
Use the definite plural accusative of foreldrar (the plural of foreldri). That form is foreldrana, so you get ég sé foreldrana.