Questions & Answers about Ég þarf gott tilboð.
Why is it gott and not góður or góð?
Because tilboð is a neuter noun. Adjectives agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case, so the correct form of góður (good) here is the neuter singular form gott. Masculine would be góður, feminine góð, but neuter is gott.
What case is tilboð in, and why?
Accusative. The verb þurfa (to need) takes a direct object in the accusative. Since tilboð is a neuter noun whose nominative and accusative singular look the same (both are tilboð), you see the case agreement mainly on other words—here the adjective is also in neuter singular accusative, which happens to be the same form as nominative: gott.
Why is there no word for “a” in gott tilboð?
Icelandic has no indefinite article. You just say gott tilboð for “a good deal/offer.” To say “the good deal,” you make the noun definite and switch the adjective to the weak form: góða tilboðið.
How do I pronounce the tricky letters and the whole sentence?
- Ég: roughly “yeh”; the g is a soft, voiced sound [ɣ], often barely heard.
- þ in þarf: like English th in “thin.”