Framtíð okkar er góð.

Our future is good.

Breakdown of Framtíð okkar er góð.

• vera: to be
• okkar: our
• góð: good
• framtíð: the future

Questions & Answers about Framtíð okkar er góð.

Why is there no separate word for “the” in Framtíð okkar er góð even though the English translation uses “the future”?

Icelandic usually shows definiteness with a suffix, not a separate word like English the.

• framtíð = future (indefinite)
• framtíðin = the future (definite; the -in is the feminine definite ending)

In Framtíð okkar er góð, the noun is indefinite in form (framtíð, not framtíðin), but the possessive okkar (our) already makes the meaning specific: our future. So the separate definite ending is not strictly needed.

You could also say:

• Framtíðin okkar er góð. – literally the future of ours is good, also understood as our future is good.

The version without -in (Framtíð okkar…) is very natural and common; the version with -in adds a slightly stronger sense of “that particular future we’re talking about,” but in many contexts they’re interchangeable.

What is the grammatical gender and case of framtíð, and how does that affect góð?

• framtíð is a feminine noun.
• In this sentence it is the subject, so it is in the nominative singular: framtíð (not framtíðar, framtíðinni, etc.).
• The adjective góð agrees with it: nominative, feminine, singular.

So:

• Feminine nominative singular: góð
• Masculine nominative singular: góður
• Neuter nominative singular: gott

Because framtíð is feminine, we must use góð, not góður or gott.

Why is the possessive okkar placed after the noun (framtíð okkar) instead of before, like in English our future?

In Icelandic, possessive pronouns can appear after or before the noun, but the usual, neutral pattern is:

• Noun + possessive: framtíð okkar = our future

Placing the possessive after the noun is:

• More common
• Often more neutral in tone

Putting the possessive before the noun is also possible, but it tends to sound more emphatic or marked:

• okkar framtíð er góð – more like our future is good with stress on our (as opposed to someone else’s).

So:

• Framtíð okkar er góð. – normal, neutral
• Okkar framtíð er góð. – “our” is emphasized, as a contrast.

What exactly does okkar mean, and why doesn’t it change form here?

okkar is the 1st person plural genitive form of the personal pronoun við (we). It usually corresponds to English our or of us.

In this construction:

• framtíð okkar literally = future of us

okkar does not change form here because:

• It is itself in the genitive plural and
• It’s used in an attributive way (showing possession) after the noun.

Other forms of we:

• Nominative (subject): við – we
• Accusative / dative: okkur – us
• Genitive: okkar – our / of us

So in this sentence it stays as okkar and doesn’t agree with gender/number of the noun like an adjective does; it’s just the fixed genitive form “of us.”

Why is the adjective góð in the “strong” form and not something like góða?

Icelandic adjectives have strong and weak declensions.

Very simplified rule of thumb:

• Strong form: when there is no definite article (no suffix like -in, and no word like sá/þessi), and the adjective is just describing an indefinite noun.
• Weak form: when the noun is definite (often with the definite suffix), or when the meaning is strongly definite.

Here the structure is:

• framtíð okkar – morphologically indefinite (no -in on framtíð)
• So the adjective takes the strong form: góð

For feminine nominative singular:

• Strong: góð – as in framtíð okkar er góð
• Weak: góða – you’d see this with a clearly definite noun, e.g.
  
  • góða framtíðin okkar – our good future with definite marking.

In basic sentences like this, describing something in a general way, the strong form góð is expected.

Why is the verb er used to talk about the future? Wouldn’t Icelandic use a future tense?

Icelandic does not have a synthetic future tense like English will or shall. The verb vera (to be) is used in the present tense to talk about:

• Present facts: Hún er heima. – She is at home.
• General or timeless truths: Vatn er blautt. – Water is wet.
• Often also expected future situations, especially in statements of confidence, plans, or predictions.

So Framtíð okkar er góð is literally Our future is good, but contextually it refers to the future (what lies ahead), and that’s perfectly normal Icelandic.

If you want to be more explicitly future-like, you can say:

• Framtíð okkar verður góð. – Our future will be good.
  (using verður, future-like meaning of verða = to become / to be in future sense)
• Framtíð okkar mun vera góð. – also Our future will be good, a bit more formal or explicit.

Is there any difference in meaning or tone between Framtíð okkar er góð and Framtíðin okkar er góð?

Both can translate as “Our future is good.”, but there is a slight nuance:

1. Framtíð okkar er góð.

   • No definite suffix on framtíð.
   • Feels a bit more general, like our future (as a concept, looking ahead) is good.

2. Framtíðin okkar er góð.

   • framtíðin is explicitly definite: the future.
   • Feels a bit more like that particular future we have/are talking about is good, slightly more specific or concrete.

In many contexts, especially casual speech, both are acceptable and will be understood the same way. The difference is subtle and often not crucial.

Could the word order be Okkar framtíð er góð instead? Is that correct?

Yes, Okkar framtíð er góð is grammatically correct.

However, there is a difference in emphasis:

• Framtíð okkar er góð.
  – Neutral: Our future is good.

• Okkar framtíð er góð.
  – Emphasizes okkar: Our future is good (as opposed to someone else’s future, or in contrast to some other possibility).

So the second version is typically used when you want to stress the possessive or set up a contrast. For a neutral statement, Framtíð okkar er góð is more common.

How do you pronounce Framtíð okkar er góð?

Approximate pronunciation (in a broad IPA):

• Framtíð – [ˈframˌtʰiːð]

  • fra- like fra in frantic
  • -mt- both consonants are pronounced
  • í is like a long ee in see
  • ð is like the th in this (a voiced dental sound)

• okkar – [ˈɔhkar] (roughly)

  • o like o in off (but a bit tenser)
  • kk is usually a geminated hard k sound, a bit like hk
  • Stress on the first syllable: OK-kar

• er – [ɛr]

  • e as in bed
  • R is rolled or tapped

• góð – [gouːð] (Icelandic diphthong)

  • g hard, as in go
  • ó is roughly like the vowel in go (a long o sound)
  • Final ð again like th in this

Word stress:

• Icelandic typically stresses the first syllable of each word:
  • FRAM-tíð OK-kar er GÓÐ.

How would I make this sentence plural, like “Our futures are good”?

To make it plural:

1. Plural of framtíð is framtíðir (feminine plural nominative).
2. The verb er must agree in number and become eru (are).
3. The adjective must agree with a plural feminine noun: góðar.

So:

• Framtíðir okkar eru góðar.
  = Our futures are good.

Breakdown:

• Framtíðir – futures (nominative plural, feminine)
• okkar – our (genitive plural)
• eru – are (3rd person plural of vera)
• góðar – good (feminine nominative plural strong form)