Hvað gerir þú eftir hádegi?

you

Breakdown of Hvað gerir þú eftir hádegi?

• hvað: what
• eftir: after
• hádegið: the noon
• gera: to do

Questions & Answers about Hvað gerir þú eftir hádegi?

What does each word in the sentence correspond to in English?

• Hvað = what
• gerir = do/are doing (2nd person singular present of gera “to do, to make”)
• þú = you (singular)
• eftir = after
• hádegi = noon; the phrase eftir hádegi means after noon or in the afternoon (context decides)

Why is the verb before the subject (why gerir before þú)?

Icelandic main clauses are verb-second (V2). When a question word like Hvað is placed first, the finite verb (gerir) must come next, and the subject (þú) follows: Hvað – gerir – þú – …

Why is it gerir and not gera?

Gerir is the 2nd person singular present form of gera. Mini-pattern:

• ég geri (I do)
• þú gerir (you do)
• hann/hún/það gerir (he/she/it does)
• við gerum (we do)
• þið gerið (you plural do)
• þeir/þær/þau gera (they do)

Can I say gerirðu instead of gerir þú?

Yes. In everyday speech and writing, gerir þú commonly contracts to gerirðu (the r and þ merge to rð). Both forms are correct; gerirðu sounds more natural in casual conversation.

Does this ask about a routine or about plans for later today?

It can do either. Present tense in Icelandic often covers both habitual actions and near-future plans. Context decides. If you want to be explicit about a plan, you can ask:

• Hvað ætlarðu að gera (í dag) eftir hádegi? = What are you going to do (today) this afternoon?

Is Hvað ertu að gera eftir hádegi? also correct?

It’s understandable but can sound odd because ertu að gera usually describes what you’re doing right now. For future plans, prefer:

• Hvað ætlarðu að gera eftir hádegi? (intention)
• or keep the original simple present: Hvað gerirðu eftir hádegi?

What case does eftir take here?

With the time-meaning “after,” eftir governs the accusative. For example: eftir skóla (after school; skóla is accusative). With hádegi (a neuter noun), nominative and accusative look the same, so you don’t see a form change.

Why is there no article on hádegi? Could I say eftir hádegið?

Time expressions commonly use the bare noun: eftir hádegi = after noon/in the afternoon (general). Eftir hádegið means after the noon (a specific noon, e.g., today’s). Both exist, but the bare form is the neutral, idiomatic choice unless you need specificity.

Is eftir hádegi exactly “in the afternoon”? What are other ways to say this?

• Eftir hádegi can mean after noon in general or the afternoon of a particular day (context).
• Alternatives:
  • í eftirmiðdaginn = this afternoon (today)
  • síðdegis = in the afternoon (habitually/regularly)
  • eftir hádegi í dag = this afternoon (explicitly today)

How do I ask multiple people the same question?

Use plural “you” and the 2nd person plural verb:

• Hvað gerið þið eftir hádegi? (What do you all do in the afternoon?/What are you going to do this afternoon?)

Any pronunciation tips for tricky letters here?

• hv in Hvað is pronounced like “kv.”
• á in Hvað and hádegi is a diphthong like the vowel in English “now.”
• ð (as in Hvað) is like the “th” in “this” (often very soft; at word-end it may sound closer to the “th” in “thing”).
• þ in þú is like the “th” in “thing.”
• Stress is on the first syllable of Icelandic words: Hvað, GERir, ÞÚ, HÁdegi.

Can I drop the pronoun þú like Spanish/Italian sometimes do?

No. Icelandic generally requires subject pronouns. You can’t say just Hvað gerir eftir hádegi?; keep þú (or use the contraction -ðu as in gerirðu).

Where does the time phrase eftir hádegi go?

After a wh-word question, keep V2 order and place time after subject (and often after the verb): Hvað gerir þú eftir hádegi? You can add adverbs before or after the time phrase, e.g., Hvað gerir þú venjulega eftir hádegi? Fronting the time phrase is possible in statements, but in wh-questions keep the wh-word first.

What’s the difference between hvað and hvaða?

• Hvað stands alone and asks about “what” (thing/action): Hvað gerir þú…?
• Hvaða modifies a noun (what/which + noun): Hvaða plan hefurðu eftir hádegi? (Which/what plan do you have this afternoon?)

How could someone answer this question?

Examples:

• Ég fer í ræktina eftir hádegi. (I’m going to the gym in the afternoon.)
• Ég vinn eftir hádegi. (I work in the afternoon / I’ll be working this afternoon.)
• Ekkert sérstakt eftir hádegi. (Nothing special in the afternoon.)