Leikurinn var jafntefli.

The game was a draw.

Breakdown of Leikurinn var jafntefli.

• vera: to be
• leikurinn: the game
• jafnteflið: the draw; tie

Questions & Answers about Leikurinn var jafntefli.

Why does leikurinn end in -inn?

Because -inn is the suffixed definite article in Icelandic.
So:

• leikur = game / match
• leikurinn = the game / the match

Unlike English, Icelandic usually puts the on the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.

Why is it leikurinn and not just leikur?

Leikurinn is the definite form, meaning the game.
If you said Leikur var jafntefli, that would sound like A game was a draw, which is much less natural in this context.

So the sentence is talking about one specific game that both speaker and listener know about: the game.

Why is the verb var used here?

Var is the past tense of vera (to be).

• er = is
• var = was

So:

• Leikurinn er jafntefli = The game is a draw
• Leikurinn var jafntefli = The game was a draw

Since the sentence refers to a completed game or a past situation, var is the correct form.

Why isn’t there a word for a before jafntefli?