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Ég kaupi súkkulaði eftir vinnu.

Ég kaupi súkkulaði eftir vinnu.
I buy chocolate after work.

Breakdown of Ég kaupi súkkulaði eftir vinnu.

ég
I
kaupa
to buy
vinna
the work
eftir
after
súkkulaði
the chocolate
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Questions & Answers about Ég kaupi súkkulaði eftir vinnu.

Why is there no word for "a" in front of "súkkulaði"?

Icelandic has no indefinite article (no "a/an"). A bare noun often means "a" or "some," especially with mass nouns like chocolate. To say "the chocolate," you attach the definite article to the noun:

  • Ég kaupi súkkulaði = I buy (some) chocolate.
  • Ég kaupi súkkulaðið = I buy the chocolate.
Does "kaupi" mean "I buy", "I'm buying", or "I will buy"?

The simple present in Icelandic covers both "I buy" and "I'm buying," and can also imply near future if the context is clear. To be explicit:

  • Ongoing right now: Ég er að kaupa súkkulaði.
  • Intention/plan: Ég ætla að kaupa súkkulaði (eftir vinnu).
  • Neutral future: Ég mun kaupa súkkulaði (eftir vinnu).
What’s the infinitive of the verb, and how does it conjugate?

The infinitive is kaupa (to buy).

  • Present: ég kaupi, þú kaupir, hann/hún/það kaupir, við kaupum, þið kaupið, þeir/þær/þau kaupa
  • Past: ég keypti, þú keyptir, hann/hún/það keypti, við keyptum, þið keyptuð, þeir/þær/þau keyptu
  • Perfect example: Ég hef keypt súkkulaði = I have bought chocolate.
Why is it "vinnu" and not "vinna"? What case is this?
With the meaning "after (in time)," the preposition eftir governs the accusative case. The noun vinna (work) is feminine; its accusative singular is vinnu. Hence, eftir vinnu = after work.
Could I say "eftir vinnuna" instead? What’s the difference from "eftir vinnu"?

Yes. Both are grammatical.

  • eftir vinnu = after work (generic, in general)
  • eftir vinnuna = after the work (typically a specific work period/shift)
What case is "súkkulaði" here, and does it decline?

It’s the direct object, so accusative. Súkkulaði is a neuter noun; in the singular its nominative and accusative look the same: súkkulaði. The definite form is súkkulaðið. It’s usually a mass noun; to count chocolates you use a measure word:

  • tvær súkkulaðiplötur (two chocolate bars)
  • tvö súkkulaðistykki (two bars/pieces of chocolate)
  • tveir bitar af súkkulaði (two pieces of chocolate)
Can the time phrase go first? What happens to word order?

Yes. Icelandic main clauses are V2 (the finite verb is in second position). If you front the time phrase, the verb must still be second:

  • Eftir vinnu kaupi ég súkkulaði. You can front other elements for emphasis too:
  • Súkkulaði kaupi ég eftir vinnu.
How do I negate this sentence?

Place ekki after the finite verb:

  • Ég kaupi ekki súkkulaði eftir vinnu. Other negatives go in the same slot:
  • Ég kaupi aldrei súkkulaði eftir vinnu. (I never buy chocolate after work.)
Can I drop the subject pronoun and just say "Kaupi súkkulaði…" ?

No. Icelandic is not a pro‑drop language. You normally must include the subject pronoun:

  • Say: Ég kaupi…, not: Kaupi… (Imperatives are different: Kauptu súkkulaði! = Buy chocolate!)
How would I say "I buy myself chocolate after work"?

Use a benefactive (so‑called dative of interest) pronoun:

  • Ég kaupi mér súkkulaði eftir vinnu. In the past: Ég keypti mér … A very common colloquial alternative for getting food/drink is: Ég fæ mér súkkulaði eftir vinnu.
What’s the difference between "eftir vinnu" and "á eftir"?
  • eftir vinnu = specifically after (my) work.
  • á eftir = later/afterwards (no specific event named). Example: Ég kaupi súkkulaði á eftir = I’ll buy chocolate later (today).
Is "Ég er kaupi…" ever correct?

No. Don’t use "vera" (to be) with another finite verb. Use either the simple present or the "vera að" construction:

  • Ég kaupi súkkulaði.
  • Ég er að kaupa súkkulaði.
How do you pronounce each word?
  • General rule: stress is always on the first syllable.
  • Ég: roughly “yeh” (the g is soft and often barely heard).
  • kaupi: “KOY-pi” (au sounds like an “öy” diphthong).
  • súkkulaði: “SOOK-ku-lath-ih” (kk has a slight breathy h before k; ð is like the th in “this”; final i like the i in “bit”).
  • eftir: “EF-tir”.
  • vinnu: “VIN-nu” (nn is lengthened).
Can I express “after work” with a verb clause instead of a noun?

Yes, when you mean “after I’ve finished working,” use eftir að + clause, often with “vera búinn/búin að…”:

  • Ég kaupi súkkulaði eftir að ég er búinn/búin að vinna. In everyday speech the shorter noun phrase eftir vinnu is very common.
Does "eftir" always take the accusative?

No. Case depends on meaning.

  • Accusative for “after (time/sequence)”: eftir vinnu, eftir helgi (after the weekend).
  • Dative in other meanings:
    • fara eftir reglum (to follow rules; reglum = dative plural)
    • Hún spurði eftir þér (she asked for you; þér = dative) In your sentence it’s the accusative time meaning.