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).
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.