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Questions & Answers about Ert þú þreyttur?
Why does this sentence start with Ert instead of Þú?
To ask a yes/no question in Icelandic, you swap the order of the subject and the verb. Instead of the normal statement order Þú ert (You are), you put the verb first to make it a question: Ert þú (Are you).
Would I use the exact same sentence to ask a woman if she is tired?
No, you would need to change the ending of the adjective! Þreyttur is the masculine form, so this sentence is directed at a man. If you are asking a woman, the adjective loses the -ur ending, and you would ask: Ert þú þreytt?
I sometimes see sentences starting with Ertu. Is that the same as Ert þú?
Yes, exactly. In spoken and informal written Icelandic, the pronoun þú (you) often attaches to the end of the verb. Ert þú merges to become Ertu. So, Ertu þreyttur? is a very natural way to say this.
What is the dictionary form of the verb ert?
It comes from the verb að vera (to be). It is a highly irregular verb in Icelandic, just like 'to be' is in English. Ert is the specific form used with þú (you).