Breakdown of Maturinn er rosalega góður.
vera
to be
góður
good
maturinn
the food
rosalega
extremely, really (colloquial)
Questions & Answers about Maturinn er rosalega góður.
Why is 'the food' written as a single word, maturinn?
In Icelandic, the definite article (the word for 'the') attaches to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word. The base word is matur (food), which is a masculine noun. When you add the masculine 'the' suffix -inn, it becomes maturinn.
What kind of word is rosalega and how does it mean 'extremely'?
Rosalega comes from the adjective rosalegur, which means 'huge' or 'terrible.' By changing the ending to -a, it becomes an adverb. In everyday Icelandic, it is very commonly used as an intensifier to mean 'extremely' or 'awfully,' much like saying 'awfully good' in English.
Why does the adjective góður end in -ur here?
Adjectives in Icelandic have to match the gender, number, and case of the noun they describe. Because maturinn (the food) is a masculine, singular noun in the subject position (the nominative case), the adjective takes the masculine singular nominative ending -ur to become góður.
Could I use mjög instead of rosalega in this sentence?
Yes, you could absolutely say Maturinn er mjög góður (The food is very good). Using rosalega just adds more emotion and emphasis, making it sound like 'incredibly good.' It is a popular choice that makes your spoken Icelandic sound natural and casual.