Blaðið sem þú lest er nýtt.

The newspaper that you are reading is new.

Breakdown of Blaðið sem þú lest er nýtt.

• vera: to be
• þú: you
• lesa: to read
• sem: that
• blaðið: the newspaper
• nýtt: new

Questions & Answers about Blaðið sem þú lest er nýtt.

Why is the noun written as blaðið rather than blað?

In Icelandic, definiteness (the English “the”) is marked by a suffix on the noun rather than a separate word. blað is the indefinite form (“a paper” or “a newspaper”), and -ið is the neuter singular definite article. Together, blaðið means “the paper” or “the newspaper.”

What case is blaðið in, and why?

blaðið is in the nominative singular neuter. In the main clause (“Blaðið … er nýtt”), it functions as the subject, and subjects in Icelandic appear in the nominative.

Why do we use sem to introduce the clause “sem þú lest”?

sem is the invariable Icelandic relative pronoun used for “which/that/who.” It doesn’t change form for gender, number, or case. Here it refers back to blaðið and introduces the relative clause “that you read.”

Why is the verb in the relative clause lest and not les?

lesa (“to read”) conjugates in the present tense as:
• ég les (I read)
• þú lest (you read, sing.)
• hann/hún/það les (he/she/it reads)
So lest is the correct 2nd-person singular present form (“you read”).

What word order rules govern the relative clause sem þú lest?

Inside a relative clause introduced by sem, you use the normal SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) order. Here þú is the subject, lest the verb, and any object would follow if present.

Why is the adjective nýtt used instead of nýr or nýj?

Adjectives agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case when used predicatively (after a linking verb). blaðið is neuter singular, so the predicative form of nýr (“new”) is nýtt. Masculine would be nýr, feminine ný, and plural nýir/ nýjar/ ný!

Why doesn’t the adjective nýtt carry a definite ending?

Predicative adjectives (those following vera “to be”) do not take the definite suffix. They simply agree in gender, number, and case. So even though blaðið is definite, nýtt stays in its plain neuter singular form.

Could you say “blaðið sem þú lestið” instead?

No. lestið is the 2nd-person plural form of lesa (you [pl.] read). To address one person you must use lest. If you truly meant “you (plural) read,” then sem þið lesið would be correct.

How would you turn this into a yes/no question: “Is the newspaper you are reading new?”

Apply the V2 (verb second) rule and move er to the front:
Er blaðið sem þú lest nýtt?
Literally: “Is the paper that you read new?”

Could blaðið ever mean something other than “newspaper”?

Yes. blað can also mean “sheet,” “leaf” (of a book), or “magazine.” Context tells you which. If you specifically want “newspaper,” you might say dagblaðið (“the daily newspaper”) or blaðið in a context about news.