Icelandic has a fun, colloquial way of forming slang adjectives by adding the suffix -ó to the root of an existing word. These adjectives are completely indeclinable, meaning they never change form regardless of the gender, number, or case of the noun they describe.
| Look at this garment, isn't it retro? | Skoðaðu þessa flík, er hún ekki retró? |
| The thrift store is full of weird things. | Nytjamarkaðurinn er fullur af skrító hlutum. |
Notice in the second example how skrító remains exactly the same even though it describes a plural noun in the dative case.
Colorful Critiques
You will frequently hear these words in casual conversation when expressing strong opinions, such as critiquing clothes at a thrift store (nytjamarkaður). Other popular -ó adjectives include púkó (tacky), krúttó (cute), and sveitó (provincial/rustic).
| I find this fashion disaster both tacky and weird. | Mér þykir þetta tískuslys bæði púkó og skrító. |
| Neither the coat nor the dress is cute. | Hvorki kápan né kjóllinn er krúttó. |
| His hat is a bit provincial, and indeed very tacky. | Hatturinn hans er svolítið sveitó, enda mjög púkó. |
Describing Nouns Directly
Just like standard adjectives, -ó adjectives can be placed directly before the noun they modify. Because they are indeclinable, you never have to worry about strong or weak declensions.
| We found this cute treasure at the thrift store. | Við fundum þennan krúttó dýrgrip á nytjamarkaðnum. |
| The clothing rack is packed with provincial clothes. | Fatasláin er troðfull af sveitó fötum. |