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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?