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Icelandic

In English, questions with two distinct choices simply connect the options with "or". In Icelandic, these "A or B" questions are introduced with the word **hvort** ("which of two"). Placing it at the beginning of the sentence immediately signals a choice between specific alternatives.

### The Basic Structure

Because **hvort** acts as a question word, the verb immediately follows it. You then present the two alternatives, linking them with **eða** (or).

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### Describing Options

This structure also works for asking about properties or conditions, like dietary restrictions:

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### Full Clauses and "Or Not"

The alternatives do not have to be single words. You can offer a choice between an action "or not" (**eða ekki**):

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Both sides of **eða** can also contain their own verbs to express two completely different scenarios:

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Alternative questions (hvort)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

phrase

prep

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Presentative and the definite suffix (þetta er, -inn, -in, -ið)

Singular pronouns and to be (ég er, þú ert)

Singular adjective agreement

Yes/no questions (ert þú…?)

Basic negation (ekki)

Plural pronouns and to be (við erum, þeir eru)

Group 1 weak verbs (-ar)

Group 2 and 3 verbs (-ir, -ur)

Information questions (hvað, hver, hvar)

Expressing opinions (mér finnst, mér líkar)

Expressing desires (mig langar)

Numbers 1 to 10 (einn, tveir, þrír)

Direct objects on indefinite nouns

Direct objects on definite nouns

Singular object pronouns (mig, þig...)

Plural object pronouns (okkur, ykkur...)

Directional prepositions (um, í, á)

Verb-second word order

Expressing intentions (ætla að)

Needs and wants (þurfa, vilja)

Middle voice verbs (-st)

Possessive pronouns (minn, þinn)

Dative case with prepositions (í, á, frá)

Definite dative nouns (-num, -nni, -nu)

Dative personal pronouns (honum, henni, þeim)

Plural nouns (-ar, -ir, -ur)

Definite plural nouns (-nir, -nar, -in)

Accusative plural nouns

Number agreement 1 to 4 (einn, tveir…)

Singular commands

Past tense of the verb to be (var, vorum)

Present continuous (vera að)

Strong verbs in the present tense

Weather and dummy subjects (það)

Invariable possessive pronouns (hans, hennar, þeirra)

Accusative possessives (minn, þinn)

Accompaniment (með)

Dative plural (-um, -unum)

Compound sentences (og, en, eða)

"This" in the nominative (þessi, þessi, þetta)

"This" in the accusative (þennan, þessa, þetta)

Accusative adjectives (-an, -a, -t)

Numbers 1 to 4 in the accusative (einn, tvo, þrjá)

Third-person reflexive pronouns (sig, sér)

The preposition "to" with the genitive (til)

Subordinating conjunctions (að, af því að)

Simple past of weak verbs (-aði)

Question words (hvernig, hvaða)

Physical possession (vera með)

Abstract possession (hafa)

Telling time (hálf, korter)

Plural commands (-ið)

The simple past tense (-di, -ti, -ði)

Possessive noun endings (-s, -ar)

Days of the week (á mánudaginn, á mánudögum)

Kveðjur — greetings (halló, bless)

Um mig — where I am from

Kurteisi — please, sorry, congratulations

Ability and knowing how (kunna að)

Permission (mega)

Obligation (eiga að)

Plural strong verbs

Numbers 11 to 20 (ellefu, tólf...)

Counting by tens to 100 (þrjátíu, fjörutíu...)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (fyrsti, annar...)

All / everything / everyone (allur)

The indefinite pronoun someone (einhver)

The indefinite pronoun no one (enginn)

Compound numbers from 21 (tuttugu og)

This in the dative singular (þessum, þessari, þessu)

These in the dative plural (þessum)

My and your in the dative (mínum, þínum)

Numbers 1 to 4 in the dative (einum, tveimur)

Adjectives in the dative singular (-um, -ri, -u)

Adjectives in the dative plural (-um)

Reflexive possessive in the accusative (sinn, sína, sitt)

Reflexive possessive in the dative (sínum, sinni)

Reflexive versus regular possessives (sinn, hans)

Demonstrative plural (þessir, þessar, þessi)

Definite genitive singular (-sins, -arinnar)

Indefinite genitive plural (-a)

Definite genitive plural (-anna)

Genitive prepositions (án, milli, vegna)

Prepositions of direction (yfir, undir, fyrir)

Prepositions of static location (yfir, undir, fyrir)

Question	Answer
the catering service	veitingaþjónustan
Is the catering service handling the party or the birthday?	Hvort sér veitingaþjónustan um veisluna eða afmælið?
the wedding reception	brúðkaupsveislan
Is the catering service going to the wedding reception or not?	Hvort fer veitingaþjónustan í brúðkaupsveisluna eða ekki?
the buffet	hlaðborðið
Does the guest eat from the buffet, or get his own dish?	Hvort borðar gesturinn af hlaðborðinu eða fær hann réttinn sinn?
the beef	nautakjötið
the pork	svínakjötið
Did you take the beef or the pork from the buffet?	Hvort tókstu nautakjötið eða svínakjötið af hlaðborðinu?
the shellfish	skelfiskurinn
Is she going to choose the shellfish or the meat?	Hvort ætlar hún að velja skelfiskinn eða kjötið?
dairy-free	mjólkurlaus
Is this food dairy-free, or is there butter in it?	Hvort er þessi matur mjólkurlaus eða er smjör í honum?
vegan	vegan
Do all the desserts need to be vegan or dairy-free?	Hvort þurfa allir eftirréttirnir að vera vegan eða mjólkurlausir?
the special request	séróskin
Did the guest have no special requests, or did he just not want anything?	Hvort hafði gesturinn enga sérósk eða vildi hann bara ekki neitt?
the vegetarian dish	grænmetisrétturinn
Did you get the vegetarian dish, or did you decide to get the vegan food?	Hvort fékkstu grænmetisréttinn eða ákvaðstu að fá vegan matinn?
Did you find the vegetarian dish good or bad, even though it was cold?	Hvort fannst þér grænmetisrétturinn góður eða vondur, þótt hann væri kaldur?
Do you prefer to have the wedding reception inside or outside, even though it is raining?	Hvort viltu frekar hafa brúðkaupsveisluna inni eða úti, þó að það rigni?
Did you bring the beef or the pork yesterday?	Hvort komstu með nautakjötið eða svínakjötið í gær?
Is the shellfish on the menu, or is it just a special request?	Hvort er skelfiskurinn á matseðlinum eða er hann bara sérósk?