Questions & Answers about Þau eru lítil.
Why does this sentence use þau for "they"?
In Icelandic, there are three ways to say "they". You use þeir for a group of men or masculine nouns, and þær for a group of women or feminine nouns. Þau is the neuter form. You use it when talking about a group of neuter nouns (like börn, meaning "children"), or a mixed group that includes both males and females.
Does the verb eru change depending on which "they" I use?
No, it stays exactly the same. Whether you are saying þeir eru, þær eru, or þau eru, the verb form for "they are" is always eru.
Why is the word for "small" written as lítil here instead of lítill?
Adjectives have to match the pronoun they describe in gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) and number (singular or plural). Since þau is neuter and plural, the adjective takes the neuter plural form, which is lítil.
Wait, isn't lítil also the feminine singular form for "small"?
Yes, good catch! In Icelandic, the neuter plural form of many adjectives is spelled exactly the same as the feminine singular form (as in hún er lítil, "she is small"). You can tell it is plural here because the plural pronoun þau and the plural verb eru are used.
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