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Questions & Answers about Amma og afi koma í kvöld.
Why is the verb form koma used here instead of kemur?
Because the subject (Amma og afi) is two people, so the verb must be 3rd-person plural present: koma. The 3rd-person singular present is kemur.
- Singular: Amma kemur í kvöld. / Afi kemur í kvöld.
- Plural: Amma og afi koma í kvöld.
Is the sentence present or future? How can present tense mean “tonight”?
It’s the present tense, but Icelandic often uses the present to talk about the near future when a time expression is present. With í kvöld (“tonight/this evening”), koma naturally means “are coming (tonight).” This matches English usage like “They are coming tonight.”
Can I use a future auxiliary like munu?
Yes. Amma og afi munu koma í kvöld. is also correct and means “Grandma and grandpa will come tonight.” Using munu can sound a bit more predictive or tentative; the plain present with a time adverbial often sounds more immediate or scheduled.
Why is there no word for “the” before amma and afi?
Family terms referring to your own relatives are commonly used without an article in Icelandic, much like names. So you say Amma og afi, not “the grandma and the grandpa.” If you want to say “my,” you add a possessive: amma mín and (e.g., ).