Hárið þitt er langt.

to be

Breakdown of Hárið þitt er langt.

• langur: long
• hárið: the hair
• þitt: your

Questions & Answers about Hárið þitt er langt.

What does each word in Hárið þitt er langt mean literally?

Word by word:

• hár – hair
• -ið – the suffixed definite article the, so hárið = the hair
• þitt – your (singular, talking to one person), agreeing with a neuter noun
• er – is (3rd person singular of to be)
• langt – long (neuter form of the adjective langur “long”)

So literally: The hair your is long. In normal English: Your hair is long.

Why does hárið end in -ið?

Icelandic doesn’t use a separate word for the. Instead, it adds a suffix:

• hár = hair (indefinite)
• hárið = the hair (definite; -ið is the neuter singular definite ending)

So hárið means the hair, and in this sentence it refers to “your hair on your head” in a general, definite way, just like English “your hair” (we normally think of it as a specific, known thing).

Why is hár neuter, and what does that change in the sentence?