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Nýjar vélar eru góðar.

Nýjar vélar eru góðar.
New machines are good.
From Lesson 27:Plural nouns (-ar, -ir, -ur)·Icelandic

Breakdown of Nýjar vélar eru góðar.

vera
to be
nýr
new
góður
good
vélin
the machine (f)

Questions & Answers about Nýjar vélar eru góðar.

Why does the noun vél become vélar in this sentence?
Vél (machine) is a feminine noun. In Icelandic, many feminine nouns form their nominative plural by adding -ar to the end. Since we are talking about machines in general (a bare noun, without 'the' attached), it stays as vélar.
Why do both adjectives, nýjar and góðar, end in -ar?
Adjectives must match the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. Because vélar is a feminine plural noun, the dictionary forms nýr (new) and góður (good) both take their feminine plural ending, becoming nýjar and góðar.
Why is there a j in nýjar?
The basic word is nýr. When we add grammatical endings that start with a vowel, like the feminine plural ending -ar, Icelandic often inserts a j to make it flow better when speaking. So, it becomes nýjar instead of just 'nýar'.
Why is the verb eru used here instead of er?
Eru is the plural form of the verb vera (to be), meaning 'are'. Because the subject vélar (machines) is plural, we have to use eru instead of the singular er (is).

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