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Questions & Answers about Þorpið er rólegra en borgin.
What does the -ið ending on Þorpið indicate?
The suffix -ið is the enclitic definite article for neuter singular nouns. Þorp means “village,” and Þorpið means “the village.” In Icelandic, definiteness is marked by adding these endings directly to the noun.
Why does borgin end in -in?
Borg (“city”) is a feminine noun. Its definite singular nominative form takes -in, so borgin = “the city.” Feminine nouns typically add -in (or -n after certain stems) for the definite article.
How is the comparative adjective rólegra formed from rólegur?
- Remove the masculine ending -ur: róleg
- Add the comparative suffix -ari → rólegari
- Inflect for gender/case/number: neuter nominative singular takes -ra, giving rólegra.
Masculine/feminine nominative singular would be rólegri.
Why is en used instead of another word for “than”?
In Icelandic comparisons, en functions exactly like “than” in English. So Þorpið er rólegra en borgin literally means “The village is calmer than the city.”
Does the adjective rólegra agree with Þorpið?
Yes. Þorpið is neuter nominative singular, so the comparative adjective must also be neuter nominative singular: rólegra. Icelandic adjectives (including comparatives) always agree in gender, number, and case with their noun, even in predicate position.
Can I say Þorp er rólegra en borg instead?
Yes, but the nuance changes.
• Þorp er rólegra en borg = “A village is calmer than a city” (general statement)
• Þorpið er rólegra en borgin = “The village is calmer than the city” (specific village vs. specific city)
Is er always required here? Could the sentence omit the verb?
You need the copula er (“is”) in an equational sentence like this. Without er, you’d have an ungrammatical string of nouns and adjectives.
What case are Þorpið and borgin in?
Both are in the definite nominative singular. The subject (Þorpið) and the thing being compared (borgin) both stay in nominative when used with er (“is”).
How do you pronounce Þorpið er rólegra en borgin?
Approximate it in English letters as:
THOR-pith ehr ROH-gleh-rah en BOR-gin
• Þ = “th” in thing ([θ])
• ð = “th” in the ([ð])
• ró = long “roh”
• g in -legra is a soft fricative (almost like a light “h”)
• er sounds like English air but shorter.