Questions & Answers about Hann lærir mikið núna.
Why does læra become lærir and not lærar?
The verb læra (to learn/study) belongs to Group 2. Unlike Group 1 verbs that take an -ar ending in the present tense (like talar), Group 2 verbs take an -ir ending for "I", "you", and "he/she/it".
The translation says "is studying", but where is the "is" in the Icelandic sentence?
Icelandic does not use a separate continuous tense like English does. A single present tense verb covers both meanings! Hann lærir translates to both "he studies" and "he is studying", depending on what makes sense in context.
Does læra mean "to learn" or "to study"?
It means both! In Icelandic, the same verb is used whether you are talking about the act of sitting down with your books (studying) or the process of acquiring knowledge (learning).
I have also seen nú for "now". Why use núna here?
Both mean "now", but núna specifically emphasizes "right now" at this exact moment. Because he is actively busy studying at this very second, núna is the most natural fit. Nú is often used for a more general "nowadays" or as a conversational filler word.