Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Icelandic grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ég á próf á morgun.
Are the two instances of á the same word?
No.
- The first á is the 1st person singular present of the verb eiga (to have/own): Ég á = I have.
- The second á is a preposition meaning roughly “on/at” in time expressions: á morgun = tomorrow. They’re spelled the same but are different words (verb vs. preposition). The letter á is its own letter in Icelandic, pronounced like “ow” in “now.”
Why use eiga (á) rather than hafa (hef) to say “have”?
In everyday speech, eiga is the natural choice for scheduled events, obligations, and many types of possession:
- Ég á próf á morgun. = I have an exam tomorrow.
- Ég á tíma hjá lækni. = I have a doctor’s appointment.
- Ég á tvö börn. = I have two children.
Hafa exists but is less idiomatic here; it’s common in set expressions and in compound tenses (e.g., Ég hef gert = I have done). Saying Ég hef próf á morgun is understandable but sounds bookish or non-idiomatic in casual speech.
Can I say Ég er með próf á morgun?
You’ll be understood, and colloquially vera með can mark things you “have,” often temporarily or on hand (e.g., Ég er með bók = I have a book with me). For scheduled events, many speakers still prefer eiga: Ég á próf á morgun is the safest, most neutral choice. You’ll also hear Ég er með fund kl. 3 (I have a meeting at 3).
Why is there no word for “a/an” before próf?
Icelandic has no indefinite article. So próf can mean “an exam” (indefinite) without any extra word. If you needed a definite article (“the exam”), you’d use the suffixed article: prófið.
What case is próf in, and why doesn’t it change?
Eiga takes an object in the accusative. Próf is a neuter noun whose nominative and accusative singular look the same: próf. So you don’t see a change. With the definite article, you’d get prófið (the exam). Plural nominative/accusative is also próf; definite plural is prófin.
How do I say “I have two exams tomorrow” or “I have many exams tomorrow”?
- Ég á tvö próf á morgun. (“two” is tvö for neuter)
- Ég á mörg próf á morgun. (“many” is mörg for neuter plural)
Can I start the sentence with “tomorrow”?
Yes. Icelandic main clauses are V2 (verb in second position). If you front the time expression, the verb still comes second:
- Á morgun á ég próf.
How do I negate it?
Place ekki after the finite verb:
- Ég á ekki próf á morgun. = I don’t have an exam tomorrow.
How do I turn it into a yes/no question: “Do you have an exam tomorrow?”
Move the verb before the subject:
- Áttu próf á morgun? (you have = þú átt; in questions it becomes áttu) Colloquially you may also hear:
- Ertu með próf á morgun?
- Hefurðu próf á morgun? (understandable but less idiomatic for a scheduled event)
How is eiga conjugated?
Present:
- ég á, þú átt, hann/hún/það á, við eigum, þið eigið, þeir/þær/þau eiga Past:
- ég átti, þú áttir, hann/hún/það átti, við áttum, þið áttuð, þeir/þær/þau áttu Example: Ég átti próf í gær. = I had an exam yesterday.
Does á morgun mean the same as í morgun?
No.
- á morgun = tomorrow
- í morgun = this morning (earlier today) For habitual “in the mornings,” use á morgnana (e.g., Ég drekk kaffi á morgnana = I drink coffee in the mornings).
What exactly is morgun doing after á?
Á as a time preposition governs accusative here, and the accusative of morgunn (morning) is morgun. The fixed phrase á morgun has the idiomatic meaning “tomorrow.”
How do I say “take an exam” versus “have an exam” in Icelandic?
- eiga próf = to have an exam scheduled
- taka próf = to take/sit an exam
- fara í próf = to go to an exam (also used) Example: Ég tek próf á morgun. = I’m taking an exam tomorrow.
How do you pronounce the sentence?
Approximate English-friendly guide:
- Ég ≈ “yehg”
- á ≈ “ow” (as in “now”)
- próf ≈ “prowf” (the written f sounds like a v here)
- á morgun ≈ “ow MOR-gun” So: “yehg ow prof ow MOR-gun.” Primary stress is always on the first syllable of each word.
Is Ég always capitalized like English “I”?
No. Ég is only capitalized at the start of a sentence (as here). In the middle of a sentence it’s ég.