Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Hún lánar mér bollann aftur á morgun.

Icelandic often uses the present tense for scheduled or near‑future events when a time expression makes the timing clear. The phrase á morgun (tomorrow) moves the meaning into the future. You can also make the future explicit:

Hún mun lána mér bollann á morgun. (neutral “will”)
Hún ætlar að lána mér bollann á morgun. (intention: “is going to”)

Why mér and not mig?

Because lána is ditransitive with the pattern lána e-m e-ð (lend someone something). The recipient is in dative, the thing lent is in accusative. First‑person singular pronouns:

nominative: ég
accusative: mig
dative: mér Here the recipient is me, so dative mér is required.

Why bollann and not bolla or bollinn?

The thing being lent is the direct object, so it’s in the accusative; it’s also definite. Relevant forms of masculine bolli (cup):

nominative singular definite: bollinn
accusative singular definite: bollann
accusative singular indefinite: bolla Thus bollann fits here.

Where does the definite article go in Icelandic?

It’s a suffix, not a separate word. For bolli:

bolli = cup
bollinn = the cup (nominative)
bollann = the cup (accusative)

Does aftur mean again or back?

Both, depending on context. Here aftur means again. With motion verbs, aftur can mean back (return), and you’ll also see til baka for directional “back.” No movement here, so aftur = again.

Where should aftur go in the sentence?

Keep it close to the verb phrase, typically after the objects: Hún lánar mér bollann aftur á morgun. With fronted time you can say: Á morgun lánar hún mér bollann aftur. Avoid inserting aftur inside a noun phrase.

Can I start the sentence with the time phrase?

Yes. Icelandic main clauses are verb‑second (V2). If you front á morgun, the finite verb still comes second:

Á morgun lánar hún mér bollann aftur.

How do I say this with an explicit will?

Use the auxiliary mun + infinitive:

Hún mun lána mér bollann á morgun. For intention, use ætlar að
- infinitive:
Hún ætlar að lána mér bollann á morgun.

What’s the usual order of the two objects?

Indirect object (recipient, dative) normally precedes the direct object (thing, accusative), especially when the recipient is a pronoun: … lánar mér bollann. Keeping mér before bollann is the safe default.

Why is it á morgun and not í morgun?

á morgun = tomorrow (fixed expression)
í morgun = this morning (earlier today) For habitual “in the mornings,” use á morgnana.

What case does á take here?

In the idiom á morgun, morgun is accusative. More generally, á can take accusative (time/direction/extent) or dative (location), but this phrase is fixed: say á morgun.

How would I make it past tense?

Use the preterite of lána:

Hún lánaði mér bollann aftur í gær. = She lent me the cup again yesterday.

How do I say the indefinite version (a cup, not the cup)?

Change the object to indefinite accusative:

Hún lánar mér bolla aftur á morgun. = She will lend me a cup again tomorrow.

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky bits?

Hún: long ú like “oo” in moon.
lánar: á like the “ow” in cow; stress on the first syllable.
mér: roughly “myer” (fronted vowel).
bollann: ll pronounced as a voiceless “tl”; final -ann like “ahn”.
á morgun: ö like a rounded “uh/œ”.

Is there a risk of confusing lend and borrow?

Yes. lána = lend. To say borrow, use fá lánað or taka að láni:

Ég fæ lánaðan bolla. = I borrow a cup.
Ég tók bollann að láni. = I borrowed the cup.

Where would negation go?

Place ekki after the finite verb and before the direct object:

Hún lánar mér ekki bollann á morgun.