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Questions & Answers about Hvernig líður þér núna?
What nuance does Hvernig líður þér núna? have compared to a simple greeting?
It specifically asks about your physical or emotional state at this moment. It’s common after something has happened (e.g., after an illness, injury, or difficult news). A general small‑talk greeting would be more like Hvernig hefurðu það? or Hvernig ertu?
Why is it þér and not þú?
Because líða (to feel, in this sense) takes the experiencer in the dative case. The dative of þú is þér. Literally, the structure is like “How is it feeling to you?”
Why is the verb líður third person singular when I’m talking to “you”?
With the feeling-meaning, líða is impersonal: there’s no grammatical subject like “I/you.” The verb surfaces in 3rd person singular and the person who feels is in the dative:
- Mér líður vel. (I feel well.)
- Þér líður illa. (You feel bad.)
- Henni líður betur. (She feels better.)
How would I answer this question naturally?
Use the dative pronoun plus líður and an adverb:
- Mér líður vel/illa. (I feel well/bad.)
- Mér líður betur/verr. (I feel better/worse.)
- Mér líður ágætlega/þokkalega. (I feel fine/so‑so.) You can add politeness: Takk or Takk fyrir. Example: Mér líður betur núna, takk.
What’s the difference between Hvernig líður þér? and Hvernig ertu? / Hvernig hefurðu það?
- Hvernig líður þér? = How are you feeling (physically/mentally), often situational or immediate.
- Hvernig ertu? = How are you (very general).
- Hvernig hefurðu það? = How are you doing/how’s life (slightly more about overall well‑being or circumstances).
Can I say Hvernig líður þú núna? instead?
No. That puts the experiencer in the nominative (þú), which is ungrammatical with this verb. Keep the dative: Hvernig líður þér núna?
How do I pronounce the sentence?
Approximate guide:
- Hvernig ≈ KVEHR-dnik (often with a little t‑sound before n; final g can sound like a soft g/gh [ɣ] or a k, depending on speaker)
- líður ≈ LEE-ður (ð like th in “this”)
- þér ≈ THYEHR (þ like th in “thin”; é like the yeh sound; tapped/trilled r)
- núna ≈ NOO-na IPA (approx.): [ˈkʰvɛrtnɪ(ɣ) ˈliːðʏr ˈnuːna]. Don’t worry about dialectal variation; being close on þ [θ] and ð [ð] helps a lot.
What does núna add, and how is it different from nú?
- núna = now, at the present time (neutral, very common for time reference).
- nú can also mean “now,” but it’s frequently used as a discourse particle (“well/now…”) and in fixed phrases. You could say Hvernig líður þér nú?, but núna is often clearer as a time adverb.
What’s going on with the word order?
Icelandic is a verb‑second language in main clauses, including wh‑questions. The pattern here is:
- Wh‑word (Hvernig) + finite verb (líður) + dative experiencer (þér) + time adverb (núna). That’s why líður comes right after Hvernig.
How do I ask this to more than one person?
Use the 2nd person plural dative ykkur:
- Hvernig líður ykkur núna? (How are you all feeling now?)
Is þér here a polite/formal “you”?
No. In this sentence þér is simply the dative of þú (you, singular). There is a historically polite nominative þér, but that’s different and rare in modern speech. Here, the case required by líða explains þér.
Does líða also mean something like “time passes”?
Yes. líða has two common uses:
- Feel: Mér líður vel. (I feel well.)
- Pass (time): Tíminn líður hratt. (Time passes quickly.) Context tells you which meaning is intended.
How do I say “How have you been feeling?” or “I’ve been feeling better lately”?
- “How have you been feeling?” → Hvernig hefur þér liðið?
- “I’ve been feeling better lately.” → Mér hefur liðið betur upp á síðkastið/undanfarið.
Can I drop þér and just say Hvernig líður núna?
In casual context it might be understood, but it sounds incomplete. It’s better and more natural to include the dative experiencer: Hvernig líður þér núna?
What are common mistakes to avoid with this sentence?
- Using nominative instead of dative: avoid Hvernig líður þú…; use þér.
- Using the wrong object case in replies: it’s Mér líður…, not Ég líður… and not Mig líður….
- Using an adjective instead of an adverb: say vel/illa/betur/verr, not góður/slæmur in this pattern.
- Dropping diacritics can confuse learners; líður (with í and ð) is helpful for correct pronunciation.