Breakdown of Fljúga þeir heim í kvöld?
þeir
they (m)
heim
home
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
kvöldið
the evening
fljúga
to fly
Questions & Answers about Fljúga þeir heim í kvöld?
Why is the verb fljúga here instead of having a vowel change like flýg?
The infinitive is að fljúga (to fly). Our current lesson is about stem vowel changes (like jú turning into ý), but remember that these changes only happen in the singular (ég flýg, þú flýgur). Because þeir (they) is plural, the verb keeps its original vowel: þeir fljúga.
Why does the sentence start with Fljúga instead of Þeir?
In Icelandic, you make a yes/no question by putting the verb first. Icelandic doesn't use helper words like "do" or "does" to form questions. So, instead of "Do they fly?", you just swap the subject and verb to ask Fljúga þeir? (literally "Fly they?").
Why use heim instead of heima for "home"?
Heim is the directional version of the word, used when there is movement toward home (homewards). Heima is used when you are already in a fixed location at home. Since they are actively traveling, we must use heim.
Does í kvöld literally mean "tonight"?
Literally, it translates to "in evening" (í = in, kvöld = evening). However, this exact phrase is the standard everyday way to say "tonight" or "this evening" in Icelandic.
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