Questions & Answers about Þetta er ný bók.
Why do we use the neuter word Þetta for "this" when bók is a feminine noun?
Why is the word for "new" spelled ný here instead of nýr?
Adjectives in Icelandic change their endings to match the gender of the noun they describe. Because bók is a feminine noun, the adjective must be in its feminine form. The standard dictionary form (which is masculine) is nýr, but the feminine singular form drops the R to become ný. If the noun were neuter, you would use nýtt.
Where is the word for "a" in this sentence?
Icelandic doesn't have an indefinite article (the words "a" or "an" in English). You simply say ný bók, which translates word-for-word as "new book" but means "a new book" in English.
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