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Questions & Answers about Bíllinn er bilaður.
Why does bíllinn have the suffix -inn instead of a separate word for the definite article?
Icelandic attaches its definite article to the end of the noun as a suffix. For masculine singular nouns in the nominative case, that suffix is -inn. So bíll (“car”) becomes bíllinn (“the car”).
What part of speech is bilaður in Bíllinn er bilaður, and why is the past participle used here?
Bilaður is the past participle of the verb bila (“to break down”). In this sentence it functions as an adjective describing the resulting state of the car—“broken” or “defective.” Using vera (“to be”) plus a past participle is how Icelandic expresses a state that has resulted from an action, much like “the car is broken” in English.
Why does bilaður end in -ður, and could that ending ever be different?
Because bíllinn is definite, the adjective (here the participle) follows the weak declension pattern. For masculine singular nominative, the weak ending is -ður. In other genders or numbers (or with an indefinite noun), participle endings change—for example neuter singular becomes -að, feminine singular -uð, and plurals -dir/ðar/ð, depending on gender.
How would bilaður change if the subject were a neuter noun, for example reiðhjólið, the bicycle?
Neuter singular weak participles take the ending -að. So “the bicycle is broken” becomes Reiðhjólið er bilað.
Is Bíllinn er bilaður in the passive voice?
No. Bíllinn er bilaður is a copular construction: vera (“to be”) + adjectival participle. The verb bila is intransitive (it has no object), so you cannot form a true passive. Instead, you’re simply describing the state of the car.
How can I say “the car has broken down” in a perfect-tense construction?
Icelandic often uses vera búinn að + infinitive to express a completed action. So “the car has broken down” is
• Bíllinn er búinn að bila
Here búinn is the past participle of verða in a fixed perfect-periphrastic structure.
Can I use the noun bilun (breakdown) instead of the adjective bilaður?
Yes. Bilun is a feminine noun meaning “breakdown.” To say “the car is broken” you can say
• Bíllinn er í bilun
Note that í (“in”) governs the dative, but the feminine singular dative of bilun is unchanged in form.
Where does a possessive pronoun go if I want to say “my car is broken”?
Possessive pronouns follow the noun (and its article) and must agree in case, number, and gender. “My car is broken” is
• Bíllinn minn er bilaður
Here minn is the masculine singular nominative form of “my,” matching bíllinn.