Word
Eru læknar stundum þreyttir?
Meaning
Are doctors sometimes tired?
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about Eru læknar stundum þreyttir?
How do we get the plural form læknar?
The singular word for "doctor" is læknir, which is a masculine noun. To make it plural when it is the subject of the sentence (the bare nominative plural), the -ir ending drops and changes to -ar.
Why does the adjective þreyttir end in -ir here?
In Icelandic, adjectives must match the noun they describe. Because læknar is masculine and plural, the dictionary form of the adjective þreyttur (tired) changes to its masculine plural form, þreyttir.
Why does the sentence start with the verb Eru?
Putting the verb at the very beginning of the sentence is how you form a yes/no question in Icelandic. Just like in English, the statement Læknar eru (Doctors are) flips to Eru læknar (Are doctors).
Is stundum a plural noun because it ends in -um?
It used to be! It comes from the noun stund (a moment or hour). However, in modern Icelandic, stundum is simply used as a fixed adverb meaning "sometimes". You don't need to worry about its grammar endings; just learn it as a single vocabulary word.