Breakdown of Við hittumst í fundarherberginu eftir hádegi.
við
we
í
in
eftir
after
hádegið
the noon
hittast
to meet
fundarherbergið
the meeting room
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Icelandic grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Við hittumst í fundarherberginu eftir hádegi.
What does the -st at the end of the verb in hittumst mean?
The -st ending marks the “middle voice,” often making the verb reciprocal or reflexive. Here it’s reciprocal:
- við hittumst = we meet each other / we meet up.
- Without -st, við hittum needs a direct object: við hittum hann/hana = we meet him/her.
Is við hittumst present or past?
It can be either; the form is identical in present and past. Context or time words clarify it:
- Present (often planned/near future): Við hittumst í dag eftir hádegi. = We’re meeting today in the afternoon.
- Past: Við hittumst í gær. = We met yesterday.
How can I make the future meaning explicit?
Use a future/intention verb or a time word:
- Intention: Við ætlum að hittast í fundarherberginu eftir hádegi. (We intend to meet…)
- Future: Við munum hittast í fundarherberginu eftir hádegi. (We will meet…)
- Add a day: á morgun eftir hádegi (tomorrow afternoon).
How would I turn this into a question like “Shall we meet…?” or “Can we meet…?”
Common options:
- Eigum við að hittast í fundarherberginu eftir hádegi? (Shall we meet…?)
- Getum við hist í fundarherberginu eftir hádegi? (Can we meet…?) — note the form hist (perfect/supine of hittast).
- Yes/no word order also works: Hittumst við í fundarherberginu eftir hádegi?
Why is it í fundarherberginu and not something else? What case is used?
The preposition í takes the dative when it means “in/inside” (location). fundarherberginu is the dative singular with the definite article:
- Indefinite: í fundarherbergi (in a conference room)
- Definite: í fundarherberginu (in the conference room)
When would I use the definite vs indefinite form of “conference room”?
- í fundarherbergi = some/any conference room (not specified).
- í fundarherberginu = the conference room (specific/known to both speakers, or the usual one at the office).
What’s inside the compound fundarherbergi?
It’s a compound of:
- fundar- = genitive singular of fundur (meeting), used attributively.
- herbergi (room, neuter). Then add the case and article:
- Nominative/accusative/dative (indef.): fundarherbergi
- Dative definite (here): fundarherberginu (base + -inu)
Why not use á instead of í for a place?
For rooms/interiors, í (“in/inside”) is standard: í herbergi, í stofu. Á is used for surfaces and certain venues or events (e.g., á fundi = at a meeting; á skrifstofunni can be “at the office” idiomatically). For a literal room, stick with í.
Does eftir hádegi mean “after noon” or “in the afternoon”?
Both, depending on context. Literally “after noon,” but idiomatically it corresponds to “in the afternoon.”
- Synonyms: síðdegis (in the afternoon), eftirmiðdaginn (“the afternoon,” accusative, as a time expression), seinnipartinn (later in the day).
- Opposite: fyrir hádegi (in the morning/before noon).
What case does eftir take here, and why doesn’t hádegi change form?
In the time sense “after,” eftir takes the accusative. hádegi is a neuter noun whose nominative/accusative/dative singular forms look the same (genitive: hádegis), so you don’t see a visible change. In other senses (e.g., “according to,” “by [author]”), eftir can govern the dative.
Could I say eftir hádegið with a definite article?
You could, but it’s unusual unless you’re referring to a very specific, previously mentioned noon. The idiomatic time phrase is eftir hádegi (no article). Similarly, people say í hádeginu for “at noon,” but for “after noon/this afternoon” it’s eftir hádegi.
Can I drop við and just say Hittumst í fundarherberginu eftir hádegi?
If you drop við and put the verb first, it reads as a suggestion/command: “Let’s meet in the conference room this afternoon.” Icelandic normally uses subject pronouns; Hittumst… (initial) is understood as a hortative (“let’s …”).
How do I say “We met each other before”?
- Við höfum hist áður. (We have met before.) — note hist with perfect: höfum hist.
What’s the difference between að hitta, að hittast, and að kynnast?
- hitta [einhvern] = meet someone (you run into or arrange to see them).
- hittast = meet each other / meet up (reciprocal).
- kynnast [dat.] = get to know someone / meet someone for the first time (takes dative: kynnast honum/henni).
Can I change the word order to front the time or place?
Yes, Icelandic allows topicalization of adverbials:
- Eftir hádegi hittumst við í fundarherberginu.
- Í fundarherberginu hittumst við eftir hádegi. The finite verb still stays in second position in main clauses.