Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Skulum við bjóða nágrönnunum í kvöld?

It means “Shall we …?” and functions like “Let’s …” as an inclusive suggestion. It sounds a bit more decisive than the more tentative Eigum við að …? (“Should we …?”). You might also hear the even softer Ættum við að …? (“Ought we to …?”), which is more hypothetical/polite.

Why is bjóða in the infinitive, and why isn’t there að?

Because skulu is a modal verb. After modals (like skulu, geta, mega, vilja), Icelandic uses the bare infinitive without að. So it’s Skulum við bjóða …?, not “Skulum við að bjóða …?” and not “Skulum við bjóðum …?”.

Why is nágrönnunum in the dative case?

The verb bjóða (“invite/offer”) governs the dative for the person you invite/offer something to. So “the neighbors” must be dative plural: nágrönnum (indef.) → nágrönnunum (def.).

What does the ending -unum in nágrönnunum signal?

It’s the definite dative plural ending for many nouns. Here:

stem + dative plural = nágrönnum
add definite article = nágrönnunum (“to the neighbors”)

Why does the a in nágranni change to ö in nágrönnunum?

That’s u-umlaut (vowel harmony): a following u in the ending triggers the stem vowel a → ö. So nágrönnum (dat. pl.) and nágrönnunum (dat. pl. definite) show this change.

How does nágranni (“neighbor”) decline?

Key forms:

Singular: nom. nágranni; acc./dat./gen. nágranna
Plural: nom. nágrannar; acc. nágranna; dat. nágrönnum; gen. nágranna
Definite dative plural (used here): nágrönnunum

Why is it í kvöld and not something like á kvöldin?

í kvöld = “this evening/tonight” (a specific time, like “today/tonight”).
á kvöldin = “in the evenings” (habitually, a general time of day). They’re not interchangeable.

Is í kvöld an object? What case is it?

It’s a time expression, not an object. Grammatically, í takes the accusative here (time “this evening”), but since kvöld is a neuter with identical nom./acc. form, you don’t see a case change.

Why does the verb come first (Verb–Subject) in Skulum við …?

Yes–no questions in Icelandic are formed by inversion: the finite verb comes first, then the subject: Skulum við …?, Ertu …?, Komu þeir …?

Can I omit við?

As a question: keep it — Skulum við …? is the normal way.
As a suggestion/command (no question): you can drop it — Skulum bjóða nágrönnunum í kvöld. = “Let’s invite the neighbors tonight.”

Could I say this more tentatively or check a plan instead of proposing one?

More tentative proposal: Eigum við að bjóða nágrönnunum í kvöld? or Ættum við að bjóða …?
Checking a plan: Erum við að bjóða nágrönnunum í kvöld? = “Are we inviting the neighbors tonight?” (not a proposal, just confirmation).

Is bjóða the standard verb for “invite”? Any useful patterns?

Yes. Patterns:

bjóða e-m (dat.) í [viðburð/mat/heimsókn]: invite someone to [an event/dinner/a visit]
bjóða e-m e-ð: offer someone something (the thing is usually accusative)
bjóða upp á e-ð: offer/serve something (e.g., bjóða upp á köku = offer/serve cake) Avoid boða here; that’s “to summon/announce.”

Do I have to use the definite “the neighbors”? What if I mean neighbors in general?

Definite nágrönnunum implies specific neighbors (typically yours). If you mean neighbors in general or some unspecified neighbors, use the indefinite dative plural: nágrönnum (e.g., Skulum við bjóða nágrönnum í kvöld?).

How do I say “our neighbors” in this sentence?

Use a possessive after the noun: Skulum við bjóða nágrönnunum okkar í kvöld? (“Shall we invite our neighbors tonight?”). Using the possessive with the suffixed article like this is natural.

Can I move í kvöld elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes, for emphasis or flow:

Skulum við bjóða nágrönnunum í kvöld? (neutral)
Skulum við í kvöld bjóða nágrönnunum? (emphasizes “tonight”)
Í kvöld skulum við bjóða nágrönnunum. (statement: “Tonight, let’s invite the neighbors.”)

Any quick pronunciation tips?

Skulum: roughly “SKU-lum” (u like the vowel in “book,” but more fronted).
við: “vith,” with soft ð like the “th” in “this.”
bjóða: “BYOH-tha” (bj = “byo,” ó like “owe,” ð as in “this”).
nágrönnunum: “NOW-grœ-nu-num” (á like “ow” in “now”; ö like the vowel in British “nurse”); stress on the first syllable: NÁ-grœ-nu-num.
Overall stress: first syllable of each word.