Questions & Answers about Fjólublái liturinn er flottur.
Why do the two adjectives in this sentence have different endings?
In Icelandic, adjectives change depending on where they are in the sentence. Because fjólublái (purple) is directly in front of the definite noun liturinn (the colour), it takes the weak ending -i. But because flottur (cool) stands alone after the verb er (is), it takes the strong masculine ending -ur.
How is the word liturinn formed?
In Icelandic, the word for "the" isn't a separate word—it attaches directly to the end of the noun. The base masculine word is litur (colour). When we add the masculine definite article -inn (the) to the end, it becomes liturinn (the colour).
Does the word fjólublái break down into smaller parts?
Yes, it literally translates to violet-blue. It is a compound word made from fjóla (a violet flower) and the base color blár (blue).
Does flottur only mean cool?
No, it is a very common and versatile compliment in Icelandic. While it means cool or awesome in this context, you will also frequently hear flottur used to mean good-looking, great, or stylish when describing people, clothes, or objects.
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