Breakdown of Hver er þessi gaur?
vera
to be
hver
who / what / which (one)
þessi
this (m/f)
gaurinn
the dude (colloquial)
Questions & Answers about Hver er þessi gaur?
Why do we use þessi here instead of the default þetta?
When saying this is a [noun], you usually use the neuter þetta er regardless of the noun's gender. However, in this sentence, this is directly attached to the masculine noun gaur (this dude), so it must agree with its gender. That is why it becomes the masculine þessi.
Is gaur considered slang, and when is it appropriate to use?
Gaur is an informal word meaning dude, guy, or bloke. It is extremely common in everyday spoken Icelandic, but you should avoid using it in formal writing or very polite professional contexts. If you need a more neutral word, you would just use maður (man).
Could I ask hvaða gaur er þetta? instead?
You could, but the meaning is a bit different. Hver means who and asks for the person's identity. Hvaða means which or what. Asking hvaða gaur er þetta? translates to which dude is this? and is often used to clarify which person in a group you are talking about.
Does the word hver change depending on the gender of the person I am asking about?
No, the form hver covers both masculine and feminine nouns. You use it whether you are asking about a man or a woman. The only time it changes for gender is the neuter form hvert, which you would use if asking about a neuter noun like a child (hvert er þetta barn?).
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