Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Icelandic grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Koma þau heim?
Why does the sentence start with the verb Koma?
To ask a yes/no question in Icelandic, you simply swap the subject and the verb. Instead of saying Þau koma (They come / They are coming), you put the verb first: Koma þau? (Do they come? / Are they coming?).
The English translation says 'Are they coming', but where are the words for 'are' and '-ing'?
Icelandic does not use a separate continuous tense like English does. The single present tense verb koma covers both 'they come' and 'they are coming'.
Why doesn't the verb have an -ir or -ur ending like the verbs taught in this lesson?
The -ir and -ur endings belong to singular subjects like þú (you) or hún (she). This sentence uses the plural subject þau (they). For þau, the verb almost always looks exactly like the dictionary form, which is why it stays as koma.
Why is the word for 'they' þau? Aren't there other words for 'they' in Icelandic?
Yes, Icelandic has three words for 'they'! You use þeir for a group of all males, þær for all females, and þau for a mixed group of males and females. When talking about people in general, þau is the safest standard choice.
Why is the word for home heim instead of ?