Questions & Answers about Hvað er sjónin slæm?
Why is hvað used here to mean 'how' instead of 'what'?
In Icelandic, hvað is frequently used instead of hversu (how) in everyday speech to ask about the degree of something. While hversu is perfectly correct and slightly more formal, you will hear hvað used to mean 'how' all the time.
Why is the adjective slæm at the end of the sentence instead of right after hvað?
When using hvað to mean 'how', the adjective is separated from the question word and placed later in the sentence. If you were to use hversu instead, the adjective would stay right next to the question word, exactly like in English: Hversu slæm er sjónin?
Why is the adjective in the form slæm?
The adjective has to agree with the noun it describes. Sjónin (the eyesight) is a feminine noun in the nominative case, so the adjective takes the feminine form slæm. If you were asking about a masculine noun like verkurinn (the pain), you would use the masculine form: Hvað er verkurinn slæmur?
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