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Questions & Answers about Hann vinnur mikið.
Why is mikið in the neuter singular form and not mikill?
In Hann vinnur mikið, mikið functions as an adverb modifying the verb vinnur. In Icelandic, adverbs are identical in form to the neuter singular of adjectives, so you always use the neuter singular mikið, regardless of the gender or number of the subject.
What part of speech is mikið here, and how do I know?
Here mikið is an adverb (it answers “how much?”), not an adjective. You can tell because it modifies vinnur (a verb). If it were describing a noun, it would behave like an adjective (e.g., mikill bóndi in masculine nominative).
Why is the verb vinna conjugated as vinnur instead of vinna or vinnar?
Vinna is a strong verb whose present‐tense stem is vinn-. The 3rd person singular present adds -ur, giving vinnur. You don’t use vinnar (that would be a hypothetical weak form) or just vinna (that’s the infinitive).
Can you show the full present‐tense conjugation of vinna?
Certainly. Present tense of vinna:
• ég vinn
• þú vinnur
• hann/henni vinnur
• við vinnum
• þið vinnið• þeir/þær/þau vinna