Við verjum húsið.

Verja is the infinitive, meaning to defend.

In Við verjum húsið, the verb has to match the subject við = we, so Icelandic uses the 1st person plural present tense form:

• að verja = to defend
• við verjum = we defend

So verjum means we defend.

Here, við is the subject pronoun meaning we.

That can be confusing because við can also be a preposition in other sentences, often meaning things like with or against, depending on context.

In this sentence, you can tell it is the pronoun we because:

• it comes in the subject position
• the verb verjum is a 1st person plural form, which matches we

So in Við verjum húsið, við = we.

The basic word order is:

• Við = subject
• verjum = verb
• húsið = object

So it follows a normal Subject–Verb–Object pattern, just like English:

• We defend the house

This is one of the most straightforward sentence patterns in Icelandic.

Hús means house.

The ending -ið is the definite article attached to the noun, so:

• hús = house
• húsið = the house

Icelandic usually puts the at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like English does.

So húsið literally means house-the, but in natural English it is simply the house.

Because húsið is the definite singular form of hús, and it also works here as the direct object.

A few important points:

• hús is a neuter noun
• the sentence uses the house, not just a house
• the direct object of verja takes the accusative case
• for this noun, the nominative and accusative singular definite forms are both húsið

So even though the object is in the accusative, the form still appears as húsið.

Húsið is in the accusative case here because it is the direct object of the verb verja.

In other words:

• við are doing the action
• húsið is what is being defended

Many Icelandic verbs require their object to be in a specific case, and verja normally takes the accusative.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

• Við ≈ vith or vithh
• verjum ≈ VEHR-yum
• húsið ≈ HOO-sith

A few useful pronunciation notes:

• ð is like the th in this, though at the end of a word it can sound weaker
• j is like English y
• ú is a long oo sound
• stress in Icelandic usually falls on the first syllable

So the sentence has stress roughly like this:

VIÐ VER-jum HÚ-sið

The ending -um is part of the verb form that marks 1st person plural present tense for this verb pattern.

So in this sentence it tells you the subject is we.

For example:

• ég ver = I defend
• þú/verður? wait no, for this verb: þú ver is not standard; the present forms are irregular-looking
• við verjum = we defend

The key thing for this sentence is that -um helps signal we.

It is fairly common, but its present tense is not completely transparent to beginners because the forms change a bit from the infinitive.

You should learn at least these useful present-tense forms:

• ég ver = I defend
• þú ver, þú/verður? No—better to learn from a dictionary or course table
• við verjum = we defend

For a beginner, the safest takeaway is:

• infinitive: að verja
• verjum = a conjugated present-tense form meaning we defend

If you are learning systematically, it is worth memorizing the full conjugation from your textbook or dictionary.

Usually, yes.

Unlike some languages where the verb ending alone often allows the subject pronoun to be omitted, Icelandic normally does include subject pronouns in ordinary sentences.

So:

• Við verjum húsið = normal and natural

The verb form verjum already matches we, but Icelandic still normally says við.

Yes, but the neutral, basic order is:

• Við verjum húsið

Icelandic can change word order for emphasis, style, or because of normal sentence-structure rules in larger clauses. For example, you might see:

• Húsið verjum við = It is the house that we defend / We defend the house with emphasis on the house

So the sentence you were given is the most straightforward, unmarked version.

Hús is a neuter noun.

Yes, that matters, because noun gender affects:

• the form of the definite article
• adjective endings
• pronouns and agreement in some contexts

Here, it helps explain why the definite form is húsið. The ending -ið is the normal definite ending for many neuter singular nouns.

Yes—this sentence shows several very common Icelandic patterns:

1. Subject pronoun + conjugated verb + object

   • Við verjum húsið

2. The verb changes form to match the subject

   • verja → verjum

3. Icelandic often adds the to the end of the noun

   • hús → húsið

4. The direct object is in the accusative

   • here that object is húsið

So this is a short sentence, but it contains some very central Icelandic grammar.