Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega.

We use this website daily.

Breakdown of Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega.

• við: we
• þessi: this
• nota: to use
• daglega: daily
• vefsíða: the website

Questions & Answers about Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega.

What does each word in Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega correspond to in English?

Word by word, it’s roughly:

• Við = we
• notum = (we) use (1st person plural present of að nota)
• þessa = this (feminine, matching vefsíðu)
• vefsíðu = website / web page (object form of vefsíða)
• daglega = daily / every day

So the whole sentence is: We use this website daily.

Why is it notum and not nota after við?

Nota is the infinitive form, að nota = to use. In the present tense it changes depending on the subject:

• ég nota – I use
• þú notar – you (sg.) use
• hann / hún / það notar – he / she / it uses
• við notum – we use
• þið notið – you (pl.) use
• þeir / þær / þau nota – they use

So with við (we), you must use the -um ending: við notum.

What exactly is þessa, and why does it end in -a here?

Þessa is a form of the demonstrative þessi (this).

• The basic forms are þessi (m/f), þetta (n).
• Like adjectives, it changes for gender, number, and case.

Here, þessa is:

• feminine (because vefsíða is feminine),
• singular,
• accusative (because it’s the direct object).

So we say þessa vefsíðu = this website as a direct object. Nominative would be þessi vefsíða (this website as the subject).

What gender and case is vefsíðu, and why is it in that form?

The base noun is vefsíða (website, web page), which is:

• feminine gender,
• a weak noun (ending in -a in the nominative singular).

Its singular forms are:

• Nominative: vefsíða
• Accusative: vefsíðu
• Dative: vefsíðu
• Genitive: vefsíðu

In Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega, it’s the direct object of notum, so it must be in the accusative: vefsíðu.

Could I say Við notum þetta vefsíðu instead? It looks like “this website”.

No, that would be ungrammatical.

• Þetta is neuter singular,
• but vefsíða is feminine, so the demonstrative has to match the noun.

Correct combinations are:

• þessi vefsíða – this website (subject, nominative)
• þessa vefsíðu – this website (object, accusative)

Þetta is used with neuter nouns (for example: þetta hús – this house).

Why is there no separate word for “the” in this sentence?

Icelandic usually marks definiteness with an ending on the noun, not with a separate word like the.

For vefsíða:

• vefsíða = a website
• vefsíðan = the website (nominative)
• vefsíðuna = the website (accusative)

In your sentence, you don’t have a simple definite article; instead you have þessa, which means “this”, not just “the”.

• Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega. = We use this website daily.
• Við notum vefsíðuna daglega. = We use the website daily.

What does daglega mean exactly, and how does it compare to á hverjum degi or alla daga?

Daglega is an adverb meaning “daily / on a daily basis / every day”. It comes from the adjective daglegur (daily).

You could also say:

• á hverjum degi = on each day → every day
• alla daga = all days → every day

All three can often be used interchangeably:

• Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega.
• Við notum þessa vefsíðu á hverjum degi.
• Við notum þessa vefsíðu alla daga.

They all mean "We use this website every day," with only slight stylistic differences.

Where can daglega go in the sentence? Can I move it around?

The most natural place here is at the end:

• Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega.

That pattern (subject + verb + object + time adverb) is very common.

Other possibilities:

• Við notum þessa vefsíðu á hverjum degi. (replacing the adverb)
• Við notum daglega þessa vefsíðu. – possible, but sounds more marked / less neutral in everyday speech.

For simple sentences, putting time words like daglega at the end is usually the safest and most natural option.

Is nota a regular verb, and how do I conjugate it in the present tense?

Yes, að nota (to use) is a regular -a verb. In the present tense:

• ég nota – I use
• þú notar – you (sg.) use
• hann / hún / það notar – he / she / it uses
• við notum – we use
• þið notið – you (pl.) use
• þeir / þær / þau nota – they use

So við notum in the sentence is the standard, regular 1st person plural form.

How do you pronounce the words, especially við, þessa, and the letters ð and þ?

Very roughly in English-like spelling:

• Við ≈ “vith” (short i, like in sit; the ð sounds like the th in this)
• notum ≈ “NOH-tum” (stress on no, second syllable very short)
• þessa ≈ “THESS-ah” (the þ like th in thing, double ss is a strong s sound)
• vefsíðu ≈ “VEHF-see-thu” (stress on vef, ð again like th in this)
• daglega ≈ “DAHG-le-ga” (stress on dag, all vowels clearly pronounced)

Key sounds:

• þ = unvoiced th, like th in thing
• ð = voiced th, like th in this

Stress is almost always on the first syllable in Icelandic words.

Can I leave out við and just say Notum þessa vefsíðu daglega?

Normally, no. Icelandic is not a “null-subject” language like Spanish or Italian. You usually must include the subject pronoun:

• Við notum þessa vefsíðu daglega. ✔
• Notum þessa vefsíðu daglega. ✘ (ungrammatical as a normal statement)

You can omit the subject only in special cases, like imperatives (commands), e.g. Notaðu þessa vefsíðu! – Use this website!

What does vefsíða literally mean, and are there other words for “website”?

Vefsíða is a compound:

• vefur = web
• síða = page

So it literally means “web page”, but in practice it can refer to a website as well.

Related words you might see:

• vefur – site, web (more general)
• heimasíða – homepage (often used for someone’s main page / personal site)

In this sentence, þessa vefsíðu is naturally understood as “this website / this web page” from context.