Við förum í göngutúr eftir kvöldmat.

Við means we. It is the subject of the sentence.

In Icelandic, subject pronouns are often stated clearly, especially in simple main clauses like this one, so Við förum ... is the normal way to say We go / We’re going ...

Förum is the conjugated verb form, while fara is the infinitive.

The dictionary form is fara = to go.

In this sentence, the subject is við = we, so the verb has to match that:

• ég fer = I go
• þú ferð = you go
• við förum = we go

So Við förum means we go or we’re going.

Grammatically, förum is present tense. But in Icelandic, just like in English, the present tense is often used for planned or expected future actions.

So Við förum í göngutúr eftir kvöldmat can naturally mean:

• We go for a walk after dinner
• We’re going for a walk after dinner
• We will go for a walk after dinner

The exact English translation depends on context, but the Icelandic form itself is present tense.

Because Icelandic commonly says fara í göngutúr, literally something like go into a walk, but idiomatically it means go for a walk.

This is just the normal expression:

• fara í göngutúr = go for a walk
• fara í ferð = go on a trip

So you should learn í göngutúr as part of the phrase, not translate it word-for-word too literally.

Icelandic does not have an indefinite article like English a/an.

So where English says a walk, Icelandic can simply say göngutúr.

That means:

• í göngutúr = for a walk not because a word is missing, but because Icelandic normally does not use a separate word meaning a.

Göngutúr means walk or walking trip/stroll.

It is a very common everyday word. In this sentence, fara í göngutúr is the natural way to say go for a walk.

You can think of it as one vocabulary item:

• ganga = walk
• göngutúr = a walk, a stroll

Here, eftir means after.

So:

• eftir kvöldmat = after dinner

Be aware that eftir can have other meanings in other contexts, such as after, along, or according to, but in this sentence the time meaning after is the one you need.

The dictionary form is kvöldmatur = dinner / evening meal.

After eftir in this time expression, Icelandic uses the accusative case, so kvöldmatur changes to kvöldmat.

So:

• nominative: kvöldmatur
• accusative: kvöldmat

That is why the sentence says eftir kvöldmat.

It is a very natural and common time expression, yes.

Icelandic often uses:

• eftir morgunmat = after breakfast
• eftir hádegismat = after lunch
• eftir kvöldmat = after dinner

So this is not a strange or special construction; it is exactly the kind of phrase learners should get used to.

Because Icelandic often talks about meals without a definite article, just like English often does.

Compare:

• after dinner
• eftir kvöldmat

You would only add definiteness if you meant a specific dinner in a specific context. In a general everyday sentence like this, kvöldmat by itself is perfectly natural.

Yes, but this sentence uses the most neutral, standard word order:

Við | förum | í göngutúr | eftir kvöldmat
We | go/are going | for a walk | after dinner

So it is basically: subject + verb + phrase + time expression

That is a very normal Icelandic sentence pattern. Other word orders are possible for emphasis, but this version is the plain, natural one.

A very literal breakdown would be:

• Við = we
• förum = go
• í göngutúr = into a walk / for a walk
• eftir kvöldmat = after dinner

So the whole sentence is literally close to: We go for a walk after dinner.

The only part that should not be translated too mechanically is fara í göngutúr, because that is an idiomatic Icelandic expression meaning to go for a walk.