Þvotturinn er þurrari núna.

The base form is þvottur.

In this sentence, þvotturinn means the laundry or the washing. Depending on context, þvottur can refer to:

• laundry
• washing
• a wash

Here, it is the definite form, so þvotturinn = the laundry.

Grammatically, it is:

• masculine
• singular
• nominative

Because Icelandic usually puts the definite article on the end of the noun instead of using a separate word before it.

So:

• þvottur = laundry
• þvotturinn = the laundry

That -inn ending is the definite article here.

This is very normal in Icelandic and is one of the first big differences English speakers notice.

It is singular.

Even though English laundry can feel like a collective idea, Icelandic þvotturinn here is grammatically one singular noun. It refers to the laundry as a whole load or batch.

So the verb is also singular:

• þvotturinn er = the laundry is

Er is the present tense, 3rd person singular form of vera, which means to be.

So:

• ég er = I am
• þú ert = you are
• hann/hún/það er = he/she/it is

In this sentence, þvotturinn is singular, so er is the correct form.

Because þurrari is the comparative form of þurr.

So:

• þurr = dry
• þurrari = drier

The sentence is not saying the laundry is simply dry. It is saying it is drier now than before.

Compare:

• Þvotturinn er þurr. = The laundry is dry.
• Þvotturinn er þurrari núna. = The laundry is drier now.

Not necessarily.

Þurrari only tells you that it is more dry than before. It does not guarantee that it is fully dry.

So the sentence could be used when:

• the laundry was very wet before
• now it has dried somewhat
• but it may still not be fully dry

That is exactly like English drier.

The comparison is implied.

In this sentence, núna = now, so the natural idea is:

• drier now than before
• drier now than earlier
• drier now than it was

Icelandic does not always need to say the than part if the context makes it obvious.

If you wanted to say it explicitly, you could use en:

• Þvotturinn er þurrari núna en áðan.
• The laundry is drier now than earlier.

Yes.

In Icelandic, adjectives used after vera still agree with the noun they describe in:

• gender
• number
• case

Since þvotturinn is masculine singular nominative, þurrari is in the matching comparative form.

This is an important difference from English, where dry/drier does not change to match the noun.

Because that is a very natural place for a time adverb in Icelandic.

So Þvotturinn er þurrari núna sounds normal and straightforward.

But Icelandic word order is fairly flexible, and you could also say:

• Núna er þvotturinn þurrari.
• Þvotturinn er núna þurrari.

These versions are also possible, but the emphasis changes slightly:

• sentence-initial núna gives more focus to now
• the original version sounds neutral and natural

Both mean now.

Very often, they can be used interchangeably. Núna can sound a little fuller or more conversational in many contexts, while nú is shorter and also extremely common.

So both of these are possible:

• Þvotturinn er þurrari núna.
• Þvotturinn er þurrari nú.

The first one is especially common in everyday speech.

Þ is pronounced like th in thing, not like th in this.

So:

• Þvotturinn starts with that voiceless th sound
• þurrari does too

For an English speaker, the important thing is:

• Þ = th in thin
• Ð = usually th in this

That contrast is very important in Icelandic spelling.

The dictionary forms are:

• þvottur = laundry, wash
• vera = to be
• þurr = dry
• núna or nú = now

So when looking words up, you would not search for:

• þvotturinn
• er
• þurrari

You would usually look for:

• þvottur
• vera
• þurr