Hnífurinn er mjög beittur.

The knife is very sharp.

Breakdown of Hnífurinn er mjög beittur.

• vera: to be
• mjög: very
• hnífurinn: the knife
• beittur: sharp

Questions & Answers about Hnífurinn er mjög beittur.

Why does the noun appear as hnífurinn instead of just hnífur?

In Icelandic, definiteness is indicated by a suffix on the noun. hnífur = “knife” (indefinite). Add -inn to get hnífurinn = “the knife” (definite). Here hnífurinn is also in the nominative case because it’s the subject of er (“is”).

Why is the adjective beittur and not just beitt?

Icelandic adjectives agree in gender, number, case and definiteness with the noun they modify. Hnífurinn is masculine, singular, nominative, definite. After a definite noun, adjectives take the “weak” inflection. For –ur-type adjectives the weak nominative singular masculine ending is -ur, so beitt → beittur.

What’s the difference between “strong” and “weak” adjective inflection?

• Strong inflection (= full set of endings) is used when the noun is indefinite (e.g. beittur hnífur = “a sharp knife”).
• Weak inflection (= reduced endings) is used when the noun is definite or has a preceding demonstrative (e.g. hnífurinn er beittur, þessir hnífar eru beittir).

What does mjög do in this sentence, and why is it placed before beittur?

mjög is an adverb meaning “very.” In Icelandic, intensifying adverbs always precede the adjective they modify and do not inflect. So mjög beittur = “very sharp.”

Is beittur here a participle or an adjective?

Originally beittur is the past passive participle of beita (“to sharpen”), but in this sentence it functions as a descriptive adjective (“sharp”). In Icelandic many participles double as adjectives.

How would you form the comparative and superlative of beittur?

• Comparative: beittari – “sharper”
• Superlative: beitastur – “sharpest”
Example: Hnífurinn er beittari en skeiðin. (“The knife is sharper than the spoon.”)

What’s the difference between beittur and hvassur? Both translate as “sharp,” right?

Yes, both mean “sharp,” but:
• beittur literally “sharpened,” focuses on the knife/tool being well-honed.
• hvassur emphasizes a fine, acute edge or point (can also describe sounds, wit etc.).
You can say hvass hnífur (“a keen-edged knife”) or beittur hnífur (“a honed knife”).

How do you pronounce Hnífurinn er mjög beittur?

Approximate IPA: /ˈkniːvʏrɪn ˌɛr ˈmjœy ˈpeihtʏr/
Breakdown:
• hní- = [kniː] (“knee” with a long i)
• fur-inn = [vʏrɪn] (“vur‐in”)
• er = [ɛr]
• mjög = [mjœy] (like “my-eui”)
• beit-tur = [peihtʏr] (“payt‐tur”)