Stefnan er skýr.

to be

Breakdown of Stefnan er skýr.

• skýr: clear
• stefnan: the policy; direction

Questions & Answers about Stefnan er skýr.

What does stefnan break down into?

Stefnan = stefna + -n.

• stefna is the noun.
• -n is the attached definite article, so it means the ...

So stefnan means the policy, the strategy, the direction, or the course, depending on context.

Why is the word the attached to stefna instead of being a separate word?

In Icelandic, the definite article is very often added to the end of the noun.

So instead of a separate word like English the policy, Icelandic commonly says:

• stefna = policy / strategy
• stefnan = the policy / the strategy

This is a very normal feature of Icelandic grammar.

Why is it er here?

Er is the present tense of the verb að vera (to be).

So:

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

Since stefnan is a singular noun, Icelandic uses er:

• Stefnan er skýr. = The policy is clear.

Why is the adjective skýr in that form?