Dekkin eru orðin gömul, svo hún pantar ný áður en veturinn byrjar.

The tires have become old, so she orders new ones before winter begins.

Breakdown of Dekkin eru orðin gömul, svo hún pantar ný áður en veturinn byrjar.

• vera: to be
• hún: she
• gamall: old
• nýr: new

Questions & Answers about Dekkin eru orðin gömul, svo hún pantar ný áður en veturinn byrjar.

Why does dekkin mean the tires?

Because dekk is the noun tire, and dekkin is its definite plural form.

• dekk = tire / tires
• dekkin = the tires

In Icelandic, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word like the in English.

So:

• dekk = tires
• dekkin = the tires

Here dekkin is the subject of the sentence.

Why does the sentence say eru orðin gömul instead of just eru gömul?

Because eru orðin gömul means have become old or have gotten old, not just are old.

Compare:

• Dekkin eru gömul = The tires are old.
• Dekkin eru orðin gömul = The tires have become old / have gotten old.

So orðin adds the idea of a change of state. It tells you that the tires were not always old, but now they have reached that state.

What exactly is orðin here?