Nútíðin er góð.

The present is good.

Breakdown of Nútíðin er góð.

• vera: to be
• góður: good
• nútíðin: the present

Questions & Answers about Nútíðin er góð.

Why does Nútíðin end in -in? Is that like saying “the present”?

Yes. Icelandic usually attaches the definite article to the end of the noun instead of putting a separate word in front of it.

• nútíð = “present (time/present tense)”
• -in = the feminine singular definite article (“the”)
• nútíð + in → nútíðin = “the present”

So Nútíðin er góð literally means “The present is good.”
There is also a separate word hinn that can function as a definite article, but in modern Icelandic it’s rarely used this way in everyday speech; the suffix is the normal way.

What is the base (dictionary) form of Nútíðin, and what gender and case is it here?

The dictionary form is nútíð.

In this sentence, Nútíðin is:

• Gender: feminine
• Number: singular
• Case: nominative (subject of the sentence)
• Definiteness: definite (because of -in)

So grammatically, Nútíðin = “the present” in nominative singular feminine.

Could I say Nútíð er góð without the -in ending? Would that be wrong?

You can say Nútíð er góð, but it sounds more abstract and less natural in ordinary conversation.

• – “The present (time) is good.” (what we normally mean)