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Questions & Answers about Halló, ertu heima?
Why is it ertu and not þú ert?
Because Icelandic usually changes the word order in yes/no questions.
- Statement: Þú ert heima. = You are at home.
- Question: Ertu heima? = Are you at home?
In the question, the verb comes first. Also, ert + þú is very commonly written together as ertu.
What exactly is ertu made of?
Ertu = ert + þú
- ert = are (2nd person singular of vera, to be)
- þú = you (singular)
So ertu literally means something like are you.
This kind of combination is very common in Icelandic:
- Ertu... = Are you...
- Geturðu... = Can you...
- Viltu... = Do you want... / Would you like...
Why is heima used here instead of a word like heim?