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Questions & Answers about Mjólkin er köld.
Why isn't there a separate word for the in mjólkin er köld?
In Icelandic, the definite article is not a separate word but a suffix attached to the noun. mjólk means “milk” and adding -in (the feminine definite ending) yields mjólkin, “the milk.”
What is the dictionary form of köld and why does it look different?
The base form (masculine nominative singular) is kaldur. Due to historical vowel mutation (i-umlaut), the feminine nominative singular strong form is köld. The ö and final d come from this regular inflection pattern.
Why is the adjective köld and not kölda here?
Because köld is used predicatively (after the copula er) rather than attributively. Predicative adjectives take the strong inflection, so the feminine nominative singular strong form is köld, not the weak kölda.
How do I know that mjólkin is feminine?
You usually have to memorize noun genders in Icelandic or consult a dictionary. Many nouns ending in -k can be feminine, and any decent Icelandic dictionary will list mjólk as feminine. Its definite form takes -in, not the masculine -inn or neuter -ið.
How do you pronounce mjólkin er köld?
In IPA roughly [ˈmjoulcɪn ɛr kʰœlt].
mj is /mj/, jó is /jou/, the final d in köld is devoiced to /t/, and ö is like the vowel in English burn (without pronouncing the r).
How would I say “Milk is cold” in a general sense (not “the milk”)?
Use the indefinite form mjólk (no suffix). You get Mjólk er köld, meaning “Milk is cold” as a general statement.
How do I turn mjólkin er köld into a yes/no question?
Move the verb er to the front (V2 word order): Er mjólkin köld? which means “Is the milk cold?”
Can I omit er and just say mjólkin köld?
No. In Icelandic you need the copula er (the present tense of vera) to form a complete sentence. Omitting it would be ungrammatical except in headlines or telegraphic style.