Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Hún hleypur hraðar en ég.

Adverb: hratt (fast) → comparative adverb hraðar (faster): Hún hleypur hraðar...
Adjective: hraður (fast) → comparative adjective hraðari (faster): Hún er hraðari... (here you describe a noun/subject with “to be”)

Why is it en ég and not en mig?

In comparisons, en acts like a conjunction meaning “than,” introducing an implied clause. The pronoun after it is the subject of that implied clause, so it takes nominative case: ég. The full idea is “Hún hleypur hraðar en ég (hleyp).”

Standard/Icelandic norm: en ég
Colloquial speech sometimes uses en mig, but it’s considered non‑standard.

Can I write the second verb explicitly, like en ég hleyp?

Yes: Hún hleypur hraðar en ég hleyp. It’s usually omitted because it’s obvious from context, but adding it is correct and can remove ambiguity. Don’t use “do”-support; Icelandic doesn’t use gera this way, so avoid “en ég geri.”

What does en mean here, and can it also mean “but”?

Here en means “than” (comparisons). In other contexts, en can mean “but.” The presence of a comparative form (hraðar, meira, etc.) tells you it’s “than.”

What verb is hleypur from, and how is it conjugated?

It’s from the infinitive að hlaupa (“to run”). Present tense:

ég hleyp
þú hleypur
hann/hún/það hleypur
við hlaupum
þið hlaupið
þeir/þær/þau hlaupa

Why does hlaupa become hleyp- in the present (e.g., hleypur)?

It’s a regular vowel alternation (umlaut/gradation) found in many strong Icelandic verbs. Singular present forms show the stem hleyp-, while plural present forms keep hlaup-. You just need to learn these alternations with the verb.

What’s the difference between hleypur and hleypir?

hleypur = 3rd sg. present of hlaupa (“runs”).
hleypir = 3rd sg. present of a different verb, hleypa (“lets in/out,” “releases”). So Hún hleypur = “She runs,” but Hún hleypir hundinum út = “She lets the dog out.”

Where does the adverb hraðar go in the sentence?

Default placement is after the finite verb: Hún hleypur hraðar... For emphasis, you can front the adverb, and Icelandic keeps the verb in second position: Hraðar hleypur hún en ég. The neutral, most common order is the original.

How do I negate this or ask a yes/no question?

Negation: place ekki after the finite verb: Hún hleypur ekki hraðar en ég.
Yes/no question: put the finite verb first: Hleypur hún hraðar en ég?

How do I say “fast/faster/fastest” as adverbs vs adjectives?

Adverbs (modify verbs): hratt → hraðar → hraðast.
- e.g., Hún hleypur hratt/hraðar/hraðast.
Adjectives (modify nouns, agree in gender/case/number): hraður → hraðari → hraðastur (masc. nom. sg. citation forms).
- e.g., Hún er hraðari en ég.

How do I pronounce the sentence?

Hún: ú like long “oo” in “moon.”
hleypur: initial hl gives a voiceless “l” (a whispered l); ey sounds like “ay” in “say”; final -ur like “-ur” with a short “u” as in “put.”
hraðar: initial hr is a voiceless “r”; ð is like “th” in “this.”
en: like “en” in “ten.”
ég: starts with a “y” sound; roughly “yeh,” with a soft/weak “g.” Stress falls on the first syllable of each content word in Icelandic.

Which case is ég, and what are the other forms of “I”?

ég is nominative. Other forms:

Accusative: mig
Dative: mér
Genitive: mín After comparative en (with an implied verb), use nominative: en ég.

Can I drop en ég?

If the comparison target is clear from context, you might omit it, but hraðar normally expects a “than …” phrase. If you just mean “She runs fast,” say Hún hleypur hratt. If you mean “She runs faster (than before),” context must make that clear; otherwise include en…

How do I say “as fast as I do”?

Use equality with eins … og and the positive adverb: Hún hleypur eins hratt og ég (hleyp). Don’t use the comparative hraðar in equality statements.

How do I put the sentence in the past or future?

Past: Hún hljóp hraðar en ég (hljóp).
Future with munu: Hún mun hlaupa hraðar en ég (mun) hlaupa.

Is hraðar spelled with ð? How is ð pronounced?

Yes, hraðar uses ð (not “d”). ð is voiced “th,” like in English “this.” In contrast, þ is voiceless “th,” like in “thing.”