Breakdown of Prófið er erfitt, en ég hef verið að æfa daglega.
ég
I
vera
to be
hafa
to have
en
but
prófið
the exam
erfiður
difficult
æfa
to practice
daglega
daily
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Questions & Answers about Prófið er erfitt, en ég hef verið að æfa daglega.
Why does the noun appear as Prófið and not just próf?
Icelandic marks definiteness with a suffixed article. próf is a neuter noun meaning test/exam. Adding the neuter singular definite ending -ið gives prófið = the test. Use prófið when a specific test is meant; use próf for a test in general or in indefinite contexts.
Why is the adjective erfitt and not erfiður?
Adjectives agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. próf is neuter singular nominative, so the predicative adjective must also be neuter singular nominative: erfitt. The basic forms are: masculine erfiður, feminine erfið, neuter erfitt.
What case is Prófið in here?
Nominative. With the copular verb vera (to be), the subject appears in the nominative, and the predicative adjective (erfitt) also agrees in nominative.
Could I say Prófið er erfiður?
No. erfiður is masculine; it doesn’t agree with the neuter subject prófið. The correct agreement is Prófið er erfitt.
How does ég hef verið að æfa map to English tense/aspect?
It corresponds to English present perfect progressive: I have been practicing. Structure:
- hef = have (present of hafa)
- verið = been (past participle of vera)
- að æfa = to practice (infinitive with að) So: have + been + -ing.
Can I drop að and say hef verið æfa?
No. Icelandic infinitives normally require að before the verb. The correct form is verið að æfa.
What’s the difference between Ég hef verið að æfa daglega and Ég hef æft daglega?
Both are possible:
- hef verið að æfa emphasizes the ongoing, repeated activity up to now (very close to English have been practicing).
- hef æft is simple present perfect (have practiced) and can sound a bit more matter-of-fact about the result or habit. In many contexts they overlap; the progressive version can feel more vivid/immediate.
Is Ég er að æfa daglega okay?
It’s understandable, but often odd because er að æfa focuses on what you’re doing right now, while daglega describes a habitual pattern. For habits, Icelandic typically uses the simple present: Ég æfi daglega (I practice daily). If you want to stress continuity over a recent period, use the perfect: Ég hef verið að æfa daglega.
Why not use búinn að: Ég er búinn að æfa daglega?
búinn að means finished/done doing something. Ég er búinn að æfa means I’ve finished practicing (I’m done now). It doesn’t express an ongoing habit well and clashes with daglega. Use hef verið að æfa daglega or ég æfi daglega instead.
Do I need the reflexive: æfa mig?
It depends on meaning:
- æfa by itself can mean to train/work out or to rehearse when an object is expressed: æfa fótbolta (practice soccer).
- æfa sig/mig often means practice a skill for oneself: Ég er að æfa mig á píanó (I’m practicing the piano). In your sentence, æfa alone works well for the general idea of training/practicing.
What does daglega mean exactly, and how is it formed?
daglega means daily (as an adverb). It’s the adverbial form of the adjective daglegur (daily, everyday). Icelandic often forms adverbs from adjectives with an -a ending.
Can I say á hverjum degi instead of daglega?
Yes. á hverjum degi = on every day, i.e., every day. Both are natural. daglega is a bit more compact and adverb-like; á hverjum degi can sound slightly more explicit/emphatic.
Why is there a comma before en?
en is a coordinating conjunction meaning but. Icelandic conventionally places a comma before en when it links two independent clauses, just like here: Prófið er erfitt, en …
Is the word order after en special? Why ég hef and not something else?
After a coordinating conjunction like en, you start a new main clause, which follows normal main-clause word order. Subject-first is common here: ég (subject) + hef (finite verb) + the rest. Icelandic is flexible, but this is the most neutral order in this context.
Can I front the time adverbial for emphasis, e.g., Daglega hef ég verið að æfa?
Yes. Fronting Daglega is perfectly grammatical and adds emphasis to the time frame. Icelandic allows adverbial fronting, often followed by the finite verb in second position: Daglega hef ég verið að æfa.
How do I conjugate hafa in the present for this pattern?
Present of hafa:
- ég hef
- þú hefur
- hann/hún/það hefur
- við höfum
- þið hafið
- þeir/þær/þau hafa
Insert verið að
- infinitive after these to form have been doing.
Any quick pronunciation tips for words in this sentence?
- Prófið: the ó is long; f between vowels is pronounced like a voiced v; final ð is a voiced dental fricative (as in English this, not thin).
- ég often sounds like [yei/yeh] with a soft g.
- æfa: æ like the i in English ice.