Learn Icelandic: Hvað finnst þér?

This is the 'quirky subject' at work! The verb finnst requires the person holding the opinion to be in the dative case. Þér is the dative form of þú (you). Instead of saying 'you think,' Icelandic phrases it more like 'what seems to you'.

Does finnst literally mean 'think'?

Not exactly. Finnst is a special form (ending in -st) of the verb finna, which means 'to find'. In this form, it means something closer to 'seems'. So literally, you are asking 'What seems to you?'.

Why is the word order finnst þér instead of þér finnst?

Because this is a question! In Icelandic, when a question starts with a question word like hvað (what), the verb must come exactly second. This is known as the V2 (verb-second) rule. Therefore, the verb finnst jumps ahead of the subject þér.

Can I use this phrase to ask what someone is thinking about right now?

No, you only use finnst to ask for someone's opinion on something (like a movie, an idea, or a meal). If you want to ask what someone is actively pondering inside their head, you would use a different verb entirely, like hugsa.