Við erum úti.

We are outside.

Breakdown of Við erum úti.

• vera: to be
• við: we
• úti: outside

Questions & Answers about Við erum úti.

How do you pronounce the sentence, especially the special letters?

• Við: roughly “vith,” with the th like in this (voiced). Short i (as in sit). The letter ð (eth) is that voiced th sound.
• erum: “EH-rum.” Short e (as in bed). Lightly tap or trill the r. The u is like the u in put.
• úti: “OO-ti.” ú is a long “oo” (as in food). Stress the first syllable: Ú-ti. Icelandic generally stresses the first syllable. The t is crisper and less strongly aspirated than English t.

What is that letter ð in Við, and how is it different from þ?

• ð (eth) = voiced th, like in this, that.
• þ (thorn) = voiceless th, like in thin, thing. So Við ends with the sound in “this,” not “thin.”

Why is the verb second in the sentence?

Icelandic main clauses follow a verb‑second pattern. The finite verb comes in second position:

• Við (subject) + erum (verb) + úti (rest). If another element is placed first, the verb is still second: Núna erum við úti (“Now we are outside”).

Why is it úti and not út?

Icelandic distinguishes location vs. direction:

• úti = location (“outside/outdoors,” where you are).
• út = direction (“out,” where you’re going). Examples:
• Við erum úti = We are outside (location).
• Við förum út = We go out (movement). Useful pairs: inni/inn (in/into), heima/heim (at home/home), uppi/upp (up/upward), niðri/niður (down/downward).

How do I say “We are outside the house/the door”?

Use fyrir utan + a noun:

• Við erum fyrir utan húsið = We are outside the house.
• Við erum fyrir utan dyrnar = We are outside the door. For general “outdoors,” just use úti: Við erum úti.

Can úti mean “out of,” as in “We’re out of milk”?

No. úti means “outside/outdoors.” To say you’re out of something:

• Við erum búin með mjólkina = We are out of milk.
• Það er engin mjólk eftir = There’s no milk left.

Are there contractions like “we’re” in Icelandic?

No. Icelandic doesn’t contract like English. You say and write Við erum, not a shortened form.

Do I have to include the pronoun við, or can I drop it?

Include it. Icelandic generally requires explicit subjects. Við erum úti is normal; dropping við is only seen in very casual, elliptical replies.

How do I make it negative?

Insert ekki after the verb: Við erum ekki úti (“We are not outside”). Time words come after that: Við erum ekki úti núna (“…right now”).

How do I turn it into a yes/no question?

Invert subject and verb (keeping verb‑second): Erum við úti? (“Are we outside?”)

Does við distinguish between inclusive and exclusive “we”?

No. Við covers both. Context tells whether it includes the listener.

What are the case forms of “we/us/our” in Icelandic?

• Nominative (subject): við
• Accusative (object): okkur
• Dative: okkur
• Genitive (possessive): okkar Examples:
• Hann sér okkur úti = He sees us outside.
• Hann kemur til okkar = He comes to us.
• Bíllinn okkar = our car.

How is the verb vera (“to be”) conjugated in the present?

• ég er (I am)
• þú ert (you sg. are)
• hann/hún/það er (he/she/it is)
• við erum (we are)
• þið eruð (you pl. are)
• þeir/þær/þau eru (they are: masc./fem./neut.)

How do I say it in other tenses?

• Past: Við vorum úti = We were outside.
• Present perfect: Við höfum verið úti = We have been outside.
• Future/intended: Við munum vera úti = We will be outside. (You can also use the present with a time word: Við erum úti á morgun in context means “We’ll be outside tomorrow.”)

Can I say “We’re out doing X” in Icelandic?

Use the progressive-like vera að construction with a location:

• Við erum úti að ganga = We are out walking.
• Við erum að bíða úti = We are waiting outside. You can also coordinate: Við erum úti og bíðum = We are outside and waiting.

Any useful collocations with úti?

• úti í bæ = out in town
• úti á landi = out in the countryside
• úti í garðinum = out in the garden/yard
• úti við sjóinn = out by the sea