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Icelandic

### 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).

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### 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:

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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:

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### 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*:

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For a masculine noun like *ilmur* (scent), the base form *-kenndur* is used in the nominative:

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### 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*:

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Comparatives and superlatives (meira, mest)

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
possible	hægt
the sample	prufan
It is possible to get a sample.	Það er hægt að fá prufu.
May I try this sample?	Má ég prófa þessa prufu?
fascinating	heillandi
This scent is very fascinating.	Þessi ilmur er mjög heillandi.
This perfume is more fascinating than the other one.	Þetta ilmvatn er meira heillandi en hitt.
soothing	róandi
Which scent is the most soothing?	Hvaða ilmur er mest róandi?
The smell of this perfume is more soothing.	Lyktin af þessu ilmvatni er meira róandi.
prominent	áberandi
The smell of the rose is the most prominent.	Lyktin af rósinni er mest áberandi.
the note	nótan
This note is more prominent now.	Þessi nóta er meira áberandi núna.
Is it possible to find a more prominent note?	Er hægt að finna meira áberandi nótu?
refreshing	hressandi
The orange is more refreshing than the apple.	Appelsínan er meira hressandi en eplið.
This is the most refreshing perfume in the shop.	Þetta er mest hressandi ilmvatnið í búðinni.
woody	viðarkenndur
This perfume is more woody.	Þetta ilmvatn er meira viðarkennt.
Is this sample the most woody?	Er þessi prufa mest viðarkennd?
fruity	ávaxtakenndur
I want to find a more fruity scent.	Ég vil finna meira ávaxtakenndan ilm.
This one is the most fruity of all.	Þessi er mest ávaxtakenndur af öllum.
floral	blómakenndur
I find this scent more floral.	Mér finnst þessi ilmur meira blómakenndur.
This perfume is the most floral.	Þetta ilmvatn er mest blómakennt.
to spray	úða
May I spray this on myself?	Má ég úða þessu á mig?
She sprays the perfume carefully.	Hún úðar ilmvatninu varlega.
former, earlier (of two)	fyrri
The earlier film was better.	Fyrri myndin var betri.
I don't remember the earlier meeting.	Ég man ekki eftir fyrri fundinum.

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