Getum við hittst á morgun?

Can we meet tomorrow?

Breakdown of Getum við hittst á morgun?

• við: we
• á morgun: tomorrow
• hittast: to meet
• geta: to be able (can)

Questions & Answers about Getum við hittst á morgun?

Why does Getum come first—how is the question formed?

Yes/no questions in Icelandic are often formed by verb-first word order (inversion).

• Statement: Við getum hittst á morgun. = We can meet tomorrow.
• Question: Getum við hittst á morgun? = Can we meet tomorrow?
  So the finite verb getum moves to the front.

What exactly is getum grammatically?

Getum is the 1st person plural present tense form of the verb geta (to be able to / can).

• ég get = I can
• þú getur = you can
• við getum = we can
  In this sentence it functions like the English modal can.

Does Getum við…? sound like Can we…? or Are we able to…? (politeness/nuance)

Usually it matches everyday English Can we…? and is neutral and natural.
If you want to sound more tentative/polite, you can use expressions like:

• Gætum við hittst á morgun? (could we…?, more tentative; from geta in a conditional-like form)
• Væri hægt að hittast á morgun? (would it be possible to meet tomorrow?, more formal)

Why is it hittst and not hitta or hittum?

hittast is the verb meaning to meet (each other)—a reciprocal meaning. In the question you see its finite form hittst, which is the present tense form used with við in this construction.
Key idea:

• hitta = to meet someone / run into someone (often one-directional: I meet you)
• hittast = to meet each other / meet up (mutual: we meet up)

Is hittast a “reflexive” verb? What does the -st mean?

The -st ending is a common Icelandic marker that often creates a middle voice verb. Very often it gives meanings like:

• reciprocal (meet each other)
• something happening “by itself” / intransitively
• or a passive-like sense (depending on the verb)
  For hittast, the most useful learner-friendly explanation is: -st makes it mean “meet up / meet each other.”

What does á morgun literally mean, and why is it á?

Literally, á morgun is like on tomorrow, but idiomatically it simply means tomorrow. Icelandic commonly uses á with certain time expressions.
Related forms you may see:

• í morgun = this morning / in the morning (often “tomorrow morning” depending on context, but commonly “this morning”)
• á morgun = tomorrow
• á morgun klukkan 10 = tomorrow at 10

How do I pronounce Getum við hittst á morgun? (rough guide)

A rough pronunciation guide (approximate):

• Getum ≈ GEH-tum (stress on the first syllable)
• við: the ð is a soft sound; many learners approximate it like the th in this (but Icelandic is not identical)
• hittst: the cluster is tight; think hitst said quickly
• á is like ow in now (long vowel)
• morgun ≈ MORH-gun (the r is trilled/tapped; g is hard)
  Main rule: Icelandic stress is almost always on the first syllable of a word.

Can I omit við and just say Getum hittst á morgun?

You usually should not omit við in this sentence. Icelandic commonly keeps subject pronouns, especially in questions like this, because verb endings alone are not always used as a full substitute for the subject in everyday speech.

What are natural short answers to this question?

Common replies include:

• Já. = Yes.
• Já, endilega. = Yes, definitely / by all means.
• Nei. = No.
• Nei, því miður. = No, unfortunately.
• Já, hvenær? = Yes, when?
• Ég get ekki á morgun. = I can’t tomorrow.

If I want to say “Can we meet tomorrow at 5?” where does the time go?

A natural placement is after á morgun (or you can put it right after it):

• Getum við hittst á morgun klukkan fimm? = Can we meet tomorrow at five?
  You can also specify a place afterward:
• Getum við hittst á morgun klukkan fimm í miðbænum? = …at five downtown?

Could I swap the word order to Getum við á morgun hittst? or Á morgun getum við hittst?

Both can be possible, but they change emphasis and structure:

• Getum við hittst á morgun? is the most neutral.
• Á morgun getum við hittst? puts emphasis on tomorrow and is often used when contrasting days (it may sound more like Tomorrow, can we meet?).
• Getum við á morgun hittst? is generally less natural; Icelandic word order is flexible, but certain placements can feel marked or awkward.

Is there a difference between Getum við hittst á morgun? and Getum við hist á morgun?

Both forms exist in usage. hittast is the full form; hist can appear as a shorter spelling/pronunciation in some contexts, but learners are typically safest using hittast/hittst as taught in standard materials.