Breakdown of Er bróðir þinn alltaf svona deilugjarn við þig?
vera
to be
alltaf
always
þig
you (acc sg)
bróðirinn
the brother
þinn
your (m, f, n: þinn, þín, þitt)
svona
so, like this
við
with (talking with)
deilugjarn
argumentative
Questions & Answers about Er bróðir þinn alltaf svona deilugjarn við þig?
How is the word deilugjarn formed, and what exactly does the suffix -gjarn mean?
It combines the noun deila (a dispute or argument) with the suffix -gjarn. This suffix indicates a propensity or strong tendency, similar to saying someone is 'prone to' or 'eager for' something. Here, it creates an adjective meaning 'prone to arguing.'
If we were asking about a sister instead of a brother, how would the adjective deilugjarn change?
It would change to the feminine nominative form, deilugjörn. Adjectives ending in -gjarn undergo a U-shift in the feminine singular, where the vowel a changes to ö. The sentence would be: Er systir þín alltaf svona deilugjörn við þig?
Why does the sentence use the preposition við for 'with' instead of með?
While með means 'with' in the sense of being together alongside someone, við is used for actions, attitudes, or conversations directed towards someone. Because the brother is directing his argumentative behavior at the sibling, við þig is the natural choice.
The English translation says 'so argumentative.' Could we use svo instead of svona here?
Yes, but there is a slight difference in nuance. Svo just means 'so' or 'very,' whereas svona literally means 'like this' or 'in this way.' By using svona deilugjarn, the speaker is specifically pointing out the way the brother is acting right now or usually acts: 'argumentative like this.'
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