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Questions & Answers about Bókasafnið er grænt.
What does the suffix -ið mean in bókasafnið?
The suffix -ið is the neuter singular definite article in Icelandic. In English you say “the library,” and in Icelandic you mark that definiteness by adding -ið to the base noun bókasafn (“library” in its indefinite form), yielding bókasafnið (“the library”).
What gender is bókasafn, and how can I tell?
Bókasafn is a neuter noun. One clue is that it takes the neuter definite ending -ið (only neuter nouns use -ið in the definite singular). Many Icelandic nouns ending in -n in their base form are neuter, though there are exceptions you’ll learn over time.
What case are bókasafnið and grænt in, and why?
Both are in the nominative case. The nominative marks the subject of the sentence (bókasafnið) and is also used for predicate adjectives after the copular verb er (“is”).
Why does the adjective grænt end in -nt?
Grænt is the strong declension form of the adjective grænn, græn, grænt in the neuter singular nominative. The -nt ending specifically signals “neuter singular nominative” in the strong (indefinite) adjective paradigm.
Do Icelandic adjectives agree with nouns in gender, number, and case?
Yes. Adjectives in Icelandic must match the noun they describe in gender (masculine/feminine/neuter), number (singular/plural) and case (nominative/accusative/genitive/dative). Here, grænt matches bókasafnið (neuter singular nominative).
Why is the adjective in its strong form (grænt) and not its weak form?
After the verb vera (“to be”), adjectives always use the strong declension, even if the noun is definite. The weak (definite) declension—e.g. græna for neuter—only appears when the adjective directly modifies a definite noun in an attributive position (e.g. græna bókasafnið, “the green library,” with the adjective before the noun).
How do you ask “Is the library green?” in Icelandic?
Invert subject and verb:
Er bókasafnið grænt?
How do you make the sentence negative, e.g. “The library is not green”?
Insert ekki (“not”) after the verb:
Bókasafnið er ekki grænt.
How is grænt pronounced, and what sound does æ represent?
Grænt is roughly pronounced “GREINT” ([krɛi̯nt]). The letter æ is a diphthong like the “eye” sound in English “time.” Stress in Icelandic always falls on the first syllable: GRÆNT.
How would you say “The library was green” in Icelandic?
Use the past tense of vera (“to be”):
Bókasafnið var grænt.