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Questions & Answers about Dagurinn er erfiður.
Why are there two instances of “er” next to each other?
They’re different words. The first er is the verb “is” (3rd person singular of vera “to be”). The next word erfiður just happens to begin with the letters “er.” So it’s “Dagurinn [subject] er [is] erfiður [difficult].”
Why is it “Dagurinn” and not “Dagur”?
Dagurinn is the definite form, “the day.” Icelandic usually adds the definite article as a suffix: dagur (day) → dagurinn (the day). You use the definite when a specific day is meant or context has made it clear which day you’re talking about.
How do I form other common forms of “day” (case/definiteness)?
Indefinite singular:
- Nom: dagur
- Acc: dag
- Dat: degi
- Gen: dags
Definite singular:
- Nom: dagurinn
- Acc: daginn
- Dat: deginum
- Gen: dagsins
Examples:
- Subject (nominative): Dagurinn er erfiður.
- Object (accusative): Ég hata daginn. (“I hate the day.”)
What case is used in this sentence, and why?
The subject Dagurinn is in the nominative. With the copula vera (“to be”), the predicate adjective also appears in the nominative and agrees in gender and number with the subject: hence erfiður (masculine nominative singular).
Why is the adjective “erfiður” masculine? Could it be “erfitt” or “erfið”?
Adjectives agree with the noun they describe. Dagur is masculine, so the nominative singular masculine form erfiður is used. Other nominative singular forms:
- Feminine: erfið (e.g., nóttin er erfið “the night is difficult”)
- Neuter: erfitt (e.g., kvöldið er erfitt “the evening is difficult”)
Why not use the weak form “erfiði” here?
Predicate adjectives (after “to be”) normally take the strong form in Icelandic, even when the subject is definite. So: Dagurinn er erfiður (strong). The weak form is used attributively with a definite noun: erfiði dagurinn (“the difficult day”). Both patterns are normal:
- Predicative: Dagurinn er erfiður.
- Attributive + definite noun: erfiði dagurinn / (more formal) hinn erfiði dagur.
How would I say it in the plural?
- Subject: Dagarnir (“the days”)
- Verb: eru (“are”)
- Adjective (m. nom. pl., strong): erfiðir
Sentence: Dagarnir eru erfiðir.
How do I make a yes/no question from this?
Invert the verb and subject:
- Er dagurinn erfiður? Answers:
- Já, dagurinn er erfiður.
- Nei, dagurinn er ekki erfiður.
How do I negate or intensify it?
- Negation: put ekki after the verb: Dagurinn er ekki erfiður.
- Intensifiers: mjög (very), afar/afskaplega (very/terribly), frekar (rather):
- Dagurinn er mjög erfiður.
- Dagurinn er ekki mjög erfiður.
How do I say “It’s a difficult day” (indefinite) or “Today is difficult”?
- Indefinite day: Þetta er erfiður dagur.
- Using “today” idiomatically:
- Í dag er erfitt. (impersonal “it is difficult today,” neuter adjective)
- You can also say: Í dag er erfiður dagur. (“Today is a difficult day”)
How is the sentence pronounced?
Approximate IPA: [ˈtaːɣʏrɪn ɛr ˈɛrvɪðʏr]
Tips:
- Stress the first syllable of each content word: DA-gurinn, ER-fiður.
- In dagurinn, the g between vowels is a soft fricative [ɣ] (like the g in Spanish “amigo”).
- ð in erfiður is the voiced “th” in “this.”
- The cluster rf is pronounced like [rv], so erfiður sounds like “ERV-iður.”
- The two words “er erfiður” run smoothly together; the first “er” is its own word.
What tense/mood is “er,” and what about “sé”?
Er is present indicative of vera (“to be”). The present subjunctive is sé. You use sé in subordinate clauses after verbs of saying, thinking, wishing, etc.:
- Ég held að dagurinn sé erfiður. (“I think the day is difficult.”)
Can I front the adjective for emphasis?
Yes, stylistically/poetically: Erfiður er dagurinn. It puts extra emphasis on “difficult.” In everyday speech, the neutral order is preferred: Dagurinn er erfiður.
Are there near-synonyms for “erfiður,” and do they all fit here?
- krefjandi = demanding (natural: Dagurinn er krefjandi.)
- þungur = heavy/arduous (can work figuratively: Dagurinn er þungur.)
- leiðinlegur = boring/tedious (different nuance: Dagurinn er leiðinlegur.) Choose the one that best matches the nuance you want.
How do I say “The day is difficult for me”?
Use a dative experiencer:
- Dagurinn er mér erfiður. Neutral impersonal alternative:
- Mér er erfitt í dag. (“It is hard for me today.”)