Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Ný vinna er bæði áskorun og reynsla. - A new job is both a challenge and an experience.

ný vinna can mean a new job or new work, depending on context.
If you want to make it definite (the new job), Icelandic adds a suffix to the noun and uses the weak form of the adjective:
- nýja vinnan = the new job (literally: new-the job-the).

Why is it ný vinna and not nýr vinna or nýtt vinna?

Because vinna is a feminine noun in the nominative singular, and the adjective must agree with it:

Adjective nýr (new) in nominative singular:
- masculine: nýr (e.g. nýr bíll – new car)
- feminine: ný (e.g. ný bók – new book)
- neuter: nýtt (e.g. nýtt hús – new house)

Since vinna is feminine: ný + vinna → ný vinna.

What grammatical role and case does ný vinna have in this sentence?

Ný vinna is the subject of the sentence: Ný vinna er bæði áskorun og reynsla.

Case: nominative (the default case for subjects)
Number: singular
Gender: feminine (because of vinna)

So grammatically it’s [feminine nominative singular].

Could I say Nýja vinnan er bæði áskorun og reynsla instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, and it changes the meaning slightly:

Ný vinna er bæði áskorun og reynsla.
- General statement: A new job is both a challenge and an experience (speaking in general).
Nýja vinnan er bæði áskorun og reynsla.
- Specific statement: The new job is both a challenge and an experience (a particular job that speaker and listener know about).

Grammar in the second sentence:

nýja = weak definite form of nýr (because the noun is definite)
vinnan = vinna
- the suffixed definite article -n.

Why are áskorun and reynsla also without any article? Could it be áskorunin or reynslan?

Here, áskorun and reynsla are used in a general, abstract sense:

áskorun = challenge (as a type of thing)
reynsla = experience (as a general quality)

So they appear indefinite, with no definite suffix.

You could say:

…er bæði áskorunin og reynslan.
That would sound like you are talking about a particular challenge and the particular experience associated with this job. It’s possible, but more specific and less general.

In the given sentence, the speaker is making a broad, general statement, so the indefinite forms are natural.

What case are áskorun and reynsla in, and why?

They are in the nominative singular.

Reason: with the verb vera (to be), nouns that describe or identify the subject (predicate nouns) are normally in the same case as the subject, which is nominative.

Subject: ný vinna – nominative
Predicate nouns: áskorun, reynsla – nominative

So: Ný vinna (nom.) er bæði áskorun (nom.) og reynsla (nom.).

How does bæði … og work, and where is it placed?

bæði … og means both … and.

Structure:

bæði stands before the first item.
og stands before the second item.

In this sentence:

bæði áskorun og reynsla
= both a challenge and an experience

It can link nouns, adjectives, verbs, whole phrases, etc.:

Hann er bæði klár og duglegur.
He is both smart and hard‑working.

Word order is similar to English both X and Y.

Why is the verb er used here, and what form is it?

er is the present tense, singular form of vera (to be), used with ég / hann / hún / það (I / he / she / it) and also for singular subjects like ný vinna.

Present tense of vera:

ég er – I am
þú ert – you are (singular)
hann / hún / það er – he / she / it is
við erum – we are
þið eruð – you are (plural)
þeir / þær / þau eru – they are

So with ný vinna (singular), you correctly use er.

Why is reynsla singular here, when in English we often say a learning experience or an experience?

Icelandic reynsla is usually treated as an uncountable / mass noun, like experience in English when used in a general sense:

Hún hefur mikla reynslu.
She has a lot of experience.

In this sentence, reynsla means experience in general that you gain, not one particular event. Therefore it stays singular with no article:

…er bæði áskorun og reynsla.
= …is both a challenge and (a source of) experience.

What are the basic meanings and forms of vinna, áskorun, and reynsla?

vinna (noun, feminine)

Basic meaning: work, job, employment
Singular:
- nom: vinna
- acc: vinnu
- dat: vinnu
- gen: vinnu
Plural:
- nom: vinnur
- acc: vinnur
- dat: vinnum
- gen: vinna

að vinna is also a very common verb meaning to work or to win.

áskorun (noun, feminine)

Meaning: challenge (something difficult that tests you)
Singular:
- nom: áskorun
- acc: áskorun
- dat: áskorun
- gen: áskorunar
Plural (common form):
- nom: áskoranir
- acc: áskoranir
- dat: áskorunum
- gen: áskorana

reynsla (noun, feminine, usually uncountable)

Meaning: experience (knowledge or skill gained by doing things)
Singular:
- nom: reynsla
- acc: reynslu
- dat: reynslu
- gen: reynslu
Plural forms exist but are rare and usually refer to distinct kinds of experiences; everyday use is mostly singular.

How do you pronounce Ný vinna er bæði áskorun og reynsla?

Approximate pronunciation (English-friendly):

Ný – like nee (long ee)
vinna – VIN-na (short i like in hit, double n held a bit longer)
er – like air but shorter
bæði – BYE-thi (ð like soft th in this, final i like i in bit)
áskorun – OWS-ko-run (first syllable like ow in cow, r rolled)
og – roughly og/ok, often with a soft g
reynsla – RAYNS-la (ey like ay in day, ns clearly pronounced)

In IPA (one possible transcription):

/niː ˈvɪnːa ɛr ˈpaiːðɪ ˈausˌkɔːrʏn ɔɣ ˈreiːnsla/

Primary stress is always on the first syllable of each word in Icelandic.