Breakdown of Tölvupósturinn er stuttur en skýr.
vera
to be
en
but
stuttur
short
skýr
clear
tölvupósturinn
the email
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Questions & Answers about Tölvupósturinn er stuttur en skýr.
Why does tölvupósturinn end in -inn?
In Icelandic the definite article attaches as a suffix to the noun. Póstur (mail; nominative sg.) becomes pósturinn (“the mail”). Since our compound is tölvupóstur (computer-mail = email), the definite form is tölvupósturinn (“the email”).
Why is it written as one word tölvupósturinn rather than two?
Icelandic loves compounds. A new “word” is formed by combining tölva (computer) + póstur (mail). The first element appears in its genitive form (tölvu-) and then you write it as a single compound noun: tölvupóstur. When you add the definite article, it stays one word: tölvupósturinn.
Why does the compound use tölvu- instead of tölva-?
When making compounds, the first noun normally goes into the genitive singular. Tölva is a feminine noun whose genitive sg. is tölvu. That linking -u shows possession/connection: “mail of the computer.”
Why are the adjectives stuttur and skýr in their base forms and not something like stuttri or skýri?
Both adjectives follow the copula er (to be), so they are in predicative position. In that slot, adjectives use the strong (basic) ending, regardless of the noun’s definiteness. Hence we get stuttur (masc. nom. sg. strong) and skýr (masc. nom. sg. strong).
What’s the difference between en and og? Could I say stuttur og skýr?
og simply means “and” (addition), whereas en means “but” or “while” to show contrast. Stuttur og skýr would read “short and clear” (neutral addition), but stuttur en skýr emphasizes a contrast: “short but clear.”
How would I turn this into a yes/no question: “Is the email short but clear?”
You swap the verb er and the subject. The question becomes:
Er tölvupósturinn stuttur en skýr?
How would I make it plural: “The emails are short but clear”?
“Tölvupóstur” in plural is tölvupóstar (indef.) or tölvupóstarnir (def.). The adjectives must agree in masc. nom. pl. strong. So you get:
Tölvupóstar eru stuttir en skýrir.
(If you want “the emails,” say Tölvupóstarnir eru stuttir en skýrir.)
How do I form the comparative: “The email is shorter but clearer”?
Comparatives take -ari (masc.) plus the same en. So:
Tölvupósturinn er styttri en skýrari.