Questions & Answers about Ég vona að þú komir í kvöld.
Why is it komir and not kemur after Ég vona að?
Because komir is present subjunctive (viðtengingarháttur nútíð). Verbs of hoping, wishing, wanting, doubting, etc., usually take the subjunctive in the clause introduced by að.
- Ég vona að þú komir… = I hope (not a fact) → subjunctive.
- By contrast, statements of fact take the indicative: Ég veit að þú kemur… (I know you are coming) → indicative kemur.
What mood/tense is komir, and does it refer to the future?
It is present subjunctive, and yes, Icelandic normally uses the present (here: present subjunctive) to refer to future time in subordinate clauses, so it points to tonight.
Can I say Ég vona að þú kemur í kvöld?
Not in standard Icelandic. With vona (hope), the subordinate verb should be in the subjunctive: Ég vona að þú komir í kvöld. The indicative kemur is fine after verbs like vita (know), sjá (see), heyra (hear), etc.: Ég veit að þú kemur í kvöld.
What does í kvöld literally mean?
Literally “in the evening,” but idiomatically “tonight” (this evening).