Questions & Answers about Eru tveir strákar úti?
Why is the number two written as tveir here instead of another form?
In Icelandic, the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 change their ending based on the gender of the noun they are counting. Because strákar (boys) is a masculine word, we use the masculine form for two: tveir. The feminine form would be tvær and the neuter is tvö.
Why does the sentence start with the verb Eru?
To ask a yes/no question in Icelandic, you simply swap the verb and the subject. The statement for Two boys are outside would be Tveir strákar eru úti. To make it a question, just put the verb eru (are) at the very beginning!
I have also seen the word út for outside. Why is it úti in this sentence?
Icelandic has different words for outside depending on whether there is movement or not. You use úti when someone is just located outside and staying there, like the boys in this sentence. You would use út if someone is actively moving or going outside.
How does the word strákar change from the singular word for boy?
The singular word for boy is strákur. For many masculine nouns that end in -ur, the plural is formed by dropping the -ur and adding -ar, making it strákar.
Learn Eru tveir strákar úti and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free