Questions & Answers about Áhættumatið er gott.
What is the basic dictionary form of áhættumatið?
The dictionary form is áhættumat.
In this sentence, áhættumatið is the definite singular form, so it means the risk assessment rather than just risk assessment.
Where is the word the in this sentence?
Icelandic usually puts the definite article onto the end of the noun, instead of using a separate word like English the.
So:
- áhættumat = risk assessment
- áhættumatið = the risk assessment
Here, -ið is the definite ending.
Why is áhættumatið written as one long word?
Because Icelandic very often makes compound nouns, where English might use two words.
Here, the word is built like this:
- áhætta = risk
- mat = assessment, evaluation
- áhættumat = risk assessment
Then the definite ending is added:
- áhættumat
- -ið → áhættumatið
So the whole thing becomes one word.
Why is the first part áhættu- and not áhætta-?
This is a very common pattern in Icelandic compounds.
The first noun often appears in a form based on the genitive stem. So:
- áhætta = risk
- áhættu- = compound form used before another noun
That is why you get áhættumat, not áhættamat.
You do not always need to memorize a full rule at first; often it is best just to learn common compounds as vocabulary items. But yes, this -u- is normal here.
Why is it gott and not góður or góð?
Why is the adjective in the form gott even though the noun is definite?
Because this is a predicate adjective, not an adjective directly attached to the noun.
In other words, the sentence is structured like:
- The risk assessment
- is
- good
- is
The adjective comes after er and describes the subject. In this position, Icelandic normally uses the adjective form that agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case, and here that gives gott.
So:
- áhættumatið er gott = the risk assessment is good
This is different from an adjective placed directly before a noun.
What case is áhættumatið, and does gott match it?
Yes. Áhættumatið is in the nominative case because it is the subject of the sentence.
The adjective gott also matches it in:
- gender: neuter
- number: singular
- case: nominative
So the agreement is exactly what you would expect in a sentence with to be.
What does er mean, and what form is it?
Er is the present tense, 3rd person singular form of vera, which means to be.
So here:
- áhættumatið = the risk assessment
- er = is
- gott = good
This is one of the most common Icelandic verbs, so er is a form you will see constantly.
How is Áhættumatið er gott pronounced?
A few helpful points:
- Icelandic words usually have stress on the first syllable
- á is a separate vowel sound, not just a normal a
- ð is like the th in this
- gott ends with a clear t
A rough English-friendly approximation would be something like:
OW-heht-tu-ma-tith er goht
That is only approximate, but it can help you get started. The most important thing is to stress the first syllable of Áhættumatið.
Could I say Áhættumatið er vel instead?
Is the word order fixed, or could it change?
Áhættumatið er gott is the normal, neutral word order.
It follows the basic pattern:
- subject
- verb
- complement
- verb
Icelandic can change word order for emphasis or style, but this version is the natural one you would usually learn and use first. For a learner, this is the safest word order to stick with.
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