Questions & Answers about Við erum ekki að hlæja.
How do I form the present continuous 'are laughing' in this sentence?
You use a form of the verb vera (to be) plus að and the infinitive of the main verb. Since the subject is Við (we), the verb vera becomes erum. Then you add að hlæja to mean 'laughing'.
Where exactly does ekki (not) go when using this continuous structure?
In Icelandic, the negative word ekki comes directly after the conjugated verb (erum) and before the að. So the structure for a negative ongoing action is always: conjugated verb + ekki + að + infinitive verb.
The word hlæja looks really tricky to say. How do you pronounce it?
The hl makes a 'whispery L' sound, where you blow a little air out the sides of your tongue without using your vocal cords. The letter æ sounds exactly like the English word 'eye', and j sounds like an English 'y'. Put it all together, and it sounds roughly like 'hl-eye-ya'.
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