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Veðrið er kalt, en við göngum samt í skóginn.

Veðrið er kalt, en við göngum samt í skóginn.
The weather is cold, but we still walk into the forest.
FromLesson 33inHardcore Icelandic

Breakdown of Veðrið er kalt, en við göngum samt í skóginn.

vera
to be
við
we
veðrið
the weather
kaldur
cold
ganga
to walk
en
but
í
into
skógurinn
the forest
samt
still

Questions & Answers about Veðrið er kalt, en við göngum samt í skóginn.

Why is it Veðrið and not just veður?

Veður means weather (indefinite). Veðrið is the weather (definite). Icelandic often uses the definite form for general statements about “the weather” in the situation you’re talking about (like “the weather (today/right now)”).
Form: veður + definite suffix -ið → veðrið (neuter singular).

What’s going on with the word veðrið—why does ð appear and how is it pronounced?

The base noun is veður. When you add the definite ending -ið, it becomes veðrið. The ð is part of the stem and stays.
Pronunciation note: ð is often like the th in this, but in many positions it can be very soft or even barely pronounced depending on the surrounding sounds and speaking style.

Why is the sentence Veðrið er kalt and not Veðrið er kaldur/köld?

Because veður/veðrið is neuter singular, the adjective must agree:

  • masculine: kaldur
  • feminine: köld
  • neuter: kalt ✅
    So kalt matches veðrið in gender (neuter), number (singular), and case (nominative here).
Is kalt an adjective or an adverb here?
It’s an adjective used as a predicate adjective (describing the subject after the verb vera). In English it looks similar to an adverb in some contexts, but in Icelandic it clearly inflects like an adjective and agrees with the noun: Veðrið (neut.) er kalt (neut.).
Why is there a comma before en?

In Icelandic, you normally use a comma before coordinating conjunctions like en when they connect two independent clauses:

  • Veðrið er kalt, (clause 1)
  • en við göngum samt í skóginn (clause 2)
What exactly does en mean, and how is it different from og?

en is but (contrast). og is and (addition).
So en signals that the second clause goes against the expectation created by the first: it’s cold, but we go anyway.

Why is it við göngum instead of við gengum?

This is a common verb pattern: the verb að ganga (to walk) changes its stem vowel in the present tense.
Present tense (typical forms):

  • ég geng
  • þú gengur
  • hann/hún/það gengur
  • við göngum ✅
  • þið gangið
  • þeir/þær/þau ganga
    So göngum is the standard 1st person plural present form.
Does ganga here mean “walk” literally, or can it mean “go”?
It can be either, depending on context. að ganga literally means to walk, but Icelandic often uses “walking” verbs where English might just say “go,” especially if the implied way of going is on foot. If you wanted a more neutral “go” (not necessarily walking), you might use að fara.
What does samt mean, and where can it go in the sentence?

samt means anyway / nevertheless. Its placement is flexible, but it commonly appears after the verb (or after the subject + verb chunk) like here: við göngum samt.
You can also see:

  • Samt göngum við í skóginn. (more emphasis on “anyway”)
  • Við göngum í skóginn samt. (possible, but often feels more “tag-like”)
Why is it í skóginn and not í skógi?

Because í changes meaning depending on the case:

  • í + accusative = motion into (direction) ✅ í skóginn
  • í + dative = location in (being there) → í skógi / í skóginum
    So this sentence is “we walk into the forest,” not “we walk in the forest.”
What case is skóginn, and how is it formed?

skóginn is accusative singular definite of skógur (forest).

  • indefinite: skógur (nom.), skóg (acc.)
  • definite: skógurinn (nom.), skóginn (acc.) ✅
    It’s accusative because í takes accusative when expressing motion/direction.
Could I also say í skóginn without -inn (i.e., í skóg)?
Yes. í skóg would mean into a forest (indefinite). í skóginn is into the forest (a specific one, or the one relevant in context). Icelandic uses the definite form quite naturally when the place is understood or specific.
Is the word order fixed, or can it be changed?

The basic order here is very natural:
[subject] Veðrið + [verb] er + [predicate] kalt, en [subject] við + [verb] göngum + [adverb] samt + [prep phrase] í skóginn.
You can move elements for emphasis, but Icelandic still follows a “verb-second” tendency in main clauses. For example, starting with Samt typically brings the verb early: Samt göngum við í skóginn.

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