Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Spurningin er góð, en við ræðum hana eftir hádegi. - The question is good, but we discuss it after noon.

The base noun is spurning = “question.”
The ending -in is the definite article attached to the noun, so spurningin = “the question.”
Other common forms you might see:
- Accusative definite: spurninguna (e.g., “discuss the question” = ræða spurninguna)
- Dative definite: spurningunni
- Indefinite: spurning (“a question”); ein spurning (“one/a question”)

Why is the adjective góð (and not góður or gott)?

Adjectives in Icelandic agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.
Spurningin is feminine singular nominative, so the predicate adjective is feminine singular nominative: góð.
Gender forms of “good” in the nominative singular: masculine góður, feminine góð, neuter gott.
Note: In predicate position (after “to be”), adjectives use the “strong” form even with a definite noun: Spurningin er góð. If the adjective comes before a definite noun, it normally takes a “weak” ending: góða spurningin = “the good question.”

What does en mean here, and why is there a comma before it?

en means “but.”
There’s a comma because two independent clauses are being joined: Spurningin er góð, en …
Extra tip: en is also used in comparisons to mean “than” (e.g., betri en = “better than”).

What is the form ræðum?

ræðum is 1st person plural present indicative of ræða (“to discuss”).
Present tense is often used for the near future in Icelandic, so við ræðum can mean “we will discuss.”
Present indicative of ræða:
- ég ræði, þú ræðir, hann/hún/það ræðir
- við ræðum, þið ræðið, þeir/þær/þau ræða
Past (for reference): ég ræddi, við ræddum (“we discussed”).

Do I need to add um after ræða (like “discuss about”)?

What does hana refer to, and why that form?

hana is the 3rd person feminine singular accusative pronoun.
It refers back to spurningin (a feminine noun), and it’s in the accusative because it’s the direct object of ræðum.
Without context, hana could also mean “her,” but here it means “it” referring to “the question.”

Could I say það instead of hana?

Yes: við ræðum það = “we’ll discuss that/it.”
Nuance:
- hana ties the pronoun directly to a known feminine noun (spurningin).
- það is the default neuter “it/that,” slightly more generic; fine if you’re not emphasizing the gender of the antecedent or if you’re referring to an idea rather than the noun.

What case does eftir take here, and what case is hádegi in?

In this time sense (“after”), eftir governs the dative.
hádegi is in the dative, but it looks the same as the nominative for this noun (neuter singular: hádegi in nom/acc/dat; gen: hádegis).
So eftir hádegi = “after noon.”

Does eftir hádegi mean “after lunch” or “in the afternoon”?

Literally: “after noon.” In everyday speech it often means “in the afternoon” (sometime after 12:00).
If you specifically mean “after lunch,” you can say:
- eftir hádegismat or eftir hádegisverð (“after lunch/after the midday meal”).
Other ways to say “in the afternoon”:
- í eftirmiðdag (“in the afternoon/this afternoon”)
- síðdegis (adverb: “in the afternoon”)

Can I move eftir hádegi to the front, like Eftir hádegi ræðum við hana?

Yes. Icelandic main clauses are verb-second (V2), so if you front an adverbial, the finite verb stays in second position:
- Eftir hádegi ræðum við hana.
A yes–no question would be:
- Ræðum við hana eftir hádegi?

How would I mark the future with “will” explicitly?

Use munu
- infinitive:
  - Við munum ræða hana eftir hádegi.
Don’t conjugate the main verb after munu:
- Correct: munum ræða
- Not: munum ræðum

Should it be ræða or ræðast? What does the -st form mean?

ræða is the active verb “to discuss”: við ræðum hana = “we (will) discuss it.”
The -st form (ræðast) is the middle/passive voice and often means “be discussed/decided/settled”:
- Þetta ræðst á fundinum. = “This will be decided/discussed at the meeting.”
So use ræða for “we discuss (something).”

Could I drop the pronoun and just say við ræðum eftir hádegi?

Grammatically possible, but then the object is unspecified (“we’ll discuss [something] after noon”). If you want to refer back to the known question, keep hana (or use það/þetta depending on nuance).

Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky letters here?