Exploring the Perfume Shop
When shopping for a new fragrance, you will likely want to start by testing a few options. A sample is called prufa, and if you want to ask if it's possible to try one, you can use the phrase er hægt (is it possible).
| It is possible to get a sample. | Það er hægt að fá prufu. |
| May I try this sample? | Má ég prófa þessa prufu? |
Comparing Adjectives Ending in "-andi"
In previous lessons, you may have seen adjectives take endings like -ari (more) and -astur (most) to form comparatives and superlatives.
However, Icelandic has many adjectives that end in -andi, such as heillandi (fascinating), róandi (soothing), áberandi (prominent), and hressandi (refreshing). These are technically present participles. Because their form is strictly fixed and cannot take standard comparative endings, Icelandic uses an analytical construction instead.
To say "more" or "most" with these words, simply place meira (more) or mest (most) directly in front of them:
| This perfume is more fascinating than the other one. | Þetta ilmvatn er meira heillandi en hitt. |
| Which scent is the most soothing? | Hvaða ilmur er mest róandi? |
Because words ending in -andi never change form to match gender or number, this pattern is incredibly consistent and easy to use across all contexts:
| This note is more prominent now. | Þessi nóta er meira áberandi núna. |
| This is the most refreshing perfume in the shop. | Þetta er mest hressandi ilmvatnið í búðinni. |
Comparing Complex Adjectives (-kenndur)
The meira and mest construction is also used for longer, complex adjectives. At the perfume counter, this is especially relevant for compound adjectives ending in -kenndur (meaning "-like" or "-ish"), such as viðarkenndur (woody), ávaxtakenndur (fruity), and blómakenndur (floral).
There is one crucial difference from the -andi words: while meira and mest remain unchanged, the adjective itself must still decline to match the gender and number of the noun it describes.
For a neuter noun like ilmvatn (perfume), the ending becomes -kennt:
| This perfume is more woody. | Þetta ilmvatn er meira viðarkennt. |
| This perfume is the most floral. | Þetta ilmvatn er mest blómakennt. |
For a masculine noun like ilmur (scent), the base form -kenndur is used in the nominative:
| This one is the most fruity of all. | Þessi er mest ávaxtakenndur af öllum. |
Trying the Fragrance
Once you have evaluated the notes and found the most fascinating scent, you will want to test it on your skin. The verb for "to spray" is úða. Note that the thing being sprayed (the perfume) takes the dative case, which is why þetta (this) becomes þessu:
| May I spray this on myself? | Má ég úða þessu á mig? |
