Breakdown of Hvorki vottorðið né dvalarleyfið er útrunnið.
vera
to be
hvorki
neither
né
nor
vottorðið
the certificate
dvalarleyfið
the residence permit
útrunninn
expired
Questions & Answers about Hvorki vottorðið né dvalarleyfið er útrunnið.
Why is the verb er singular if we are talking about two things (the certificate and the permit)?
Because they are joined by hvorki ... né (neither ... nor). In Icelandic, just like in English, when two singular subjects are connected this way, the verb usually remains in the singular form (er instead of eru).
Why does útrunnið end in -ið here?
It is acting as an adjective describing the subjects, so it has to match their gender and number. Both vottorðið and dvalarleyfið are neuter singular nouns, so the past participle takes the neuter singular form útrunnið.
What verb does útrunnið come from? Is it related to the lesson's theme of deadlines?
Yes! It is the past participle of the phrasal verb renna út, which literally means to run out. This is the standard Icelandic way to express that a document, time limit, or deadline expires.
How does the word dvalarleyfið break down?
It is a compound of dvöl (a stay or residence) and leyfi (a permit or permission), plus the neuter definite article -ð. The first part is in the genitive case (dvalar) to link them together, literally meaning permit of stay.
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