Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Bílastæðið fyrir framan húsið er alltaf fullt. - The parking space in front of the house is always full.

bílastæðið is a compound noun: bíla (the genitive of bíll, “car”) + stæði (“place, station”) = “parking space/lot.” It is neuter in gender, and the suffix -ið is the definite article for neuter singular (“the parking space”).

Why is húsið also ending in -ið, and why isn’t it in the genitive (hússins)?

húsið is “the house.” The -ið again marks definite neuter singular. After the prepositional phrase fyrir framan, the noun takes the accusative case. In neuter, nominative and accusative singular look the same, so it remains húsið, not the genitive hússins.

What does fyrir framan mean and are there alternatives?

fyrir framan literally combines fyrir (“for/before”) + framan (“in front”), giving “in front of.” It governs the accusative. A very common alternative is framan við + accusative (e.g. framan við húsið) with almost no change in meaning.

Why is the adjective fullt in its neuter singular form?

The predicate adjective must agree with its subject bílastæðið, which is neuter singular. The neuter nominative singular form of fullur (“full”) is fullt, so the sentence uses er fullt.

Why is alltaf placed between er and fullt?

In Icelandic main clauses, adverbs of time or frequency (like alltaf, “always”) normally follow the finite verb. The typical order here is Subject – Verb – Adverb – Predicate.

Why doesn’t this sentence use an expletive það er like English “there is”?

English often uses “there is/are” to introduce something. Icelandic only uses það er when you’re introducing or pointing out an indefinite thing. Here we’re talking about a specific parking space, so bílastæðið is the grammatical subject directly: bílastæðið er alltaf fullt.