Aðgangurinn er ókeypis.

Breakdown of Aðgangurinn er ókeypis.

vera
to be
ókeypis
free
aðgangurinn
the access

Questions & Answers about Aðgangurinn er ókeypis.

What exactly does aðgangurinn mean here?

Aðgangurinn is the noun aðgangur with the definite article attached.

  • aðgangur = access, entry, or admission, depending on context
  • aðgangurinn = the access / the entry / the admission

In this sentence, the most natural sense is usually admission or entry.

Why is there no separate word for the?

In Icelandic, the is often added to the end of the noun instead of being written as a separate word.

So:

  • aðgangur = access / admission
  • aðgangurinn = the access / the admission

The ending -inn is the definite article here. This is very normal in Icelandic.

Why does the noun look like aðgangur in the dictionary but aðgangurinn in the sentence?

The dictionary form is the basic nominative singular form: aðgangur.

When the definite article is added, the form becomes aðgangurinn. For this masculine noun, the article shows up as -inn, but because of the noun’s ending, the full result is -urinn.

So you can think of it as:

  • aðgangur
    • -innaðgangurinn

This is a common pattern with masculine nouns.

What case and gender is aðgangurinn?

It is masculine, singular, nominative.

Why nominative? Because it is the subject of the sentence: the thing being talked about.

The basic structure is:

  • Aðgangurinn = subject
  • er = verb
  • ókeypis = description of the subject
What does er mean?

Er is the present tense of vera, the Icelandic verb to be.

So:

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

In this sentence, er simply means is.

Why is ókeypis used here, and does it change form?

Ókeypis means free of charge or at no cost.

In this sentence, it describes aðgangurinn, so the sentence means that the admission/access costs nothing.

A useful thing to know is that ókeypis is usually treated as indeclinable, so it normally stays the same form instead of changing for gender, number, or case.

That makes it easier to use than many other Icelandic describing words.

Is ókeypis the same as frír?

Not always.

Ókeypis specifically means free of charge.

Frír can mean free in other senses, such as:

  • available / not busy
  • not occupied
  • sometimes free in a broader sense

So if you want to say something costs nothing, ókeypis is the safest choice.

For example, in this sentence, ókeypis is better because the point is about price, not freedom or availability.

How do you pronounce Aðgangurinn er ókeypis?

A rough English-friendly approximation is:

ATH-gang-ur-rin er OH-kay-pis

A few notes:

  • ð is like the th sound in this, though in some combinations it may sound closer to the th in thing
  • á/ó vowels are important in Icelandic, and ó here is pronounced like oh
  • the stress in Icelandic usually falls on the first syllable of each word

So the main stresses are on:

  • gangurinn
  • ER
  • Ókeypis
Could this sentence be said in a different way?

Yes, depending on style and context.

Aðgangurinn er ókeypis is a full, normal sentence: The admission is free.

But in signs, headlines, or short notices, Icelandic often drops parts that are obvious. So you might also see things like:

  • Ókeypis aðgangur = free admission
  • Aðgangur ókeypis = a more sign-like shortened style

Those are not exactly the same structure, but they are very common in real-life Icelandic.

Is the word order special here?

This is the most neutral word order:

  • subject + verb + complement
  • Aðgangurinn er ókeypis

That is the normal way to make a simple statement.

Icelandic does allow other word orders for emphasis, but this version is the plain, standard one a learner should be comfortable with first.

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