Questions & Answers about Við vorum hissa áðan.
Why is vorum used here instead of var?
Vorum is the past tense form of vera (to be) for við (we). In the present tense you say við erum (we are), and in the past it becomes við vorum (we were). If the subject was singular, like ég (I) or hún (she), you would use var.
Why doesn't the adjective hissa change to match the plural við?
Most adjectives in Icelandic change their endings based on whether the subject is singular or plural. However, hissa is a special adjective that never changes its form. It stays exactly the same no matter who or how many people you are talking about!
Does áðan just mean any time in the past?
Not quite! Áðan specifically means earlier, a little while ago, or just now. It is a very common word used to talk about the very recent past, usually something that happened earlier on the exact same day.
What happens to the word order if I start the sentence with áðan?
Icelandic follows the verb-second (V2) rule, meaning the verb must be the second piece of information. If you put áðan first, the verb vorum has to come immediately after it, pushing the subject við to the third position: Áðan vorum við hissa.