Questions & Answers about Er þessi skeið dýr?
Why do we use þessi for "this" in this sentence instead of þetta?
The word þessi changes based on the gender of the noun it belongs to. The word for spoon, skeið, is a feminine noun. The feminine form for "this" as a subject is þessi. (The masculine is also þessi, while the neuter is þetta).
Does the adjective dýr (expensive) change because of the noun?
Yes! Adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe. Since skeið is a feminine noun in the subject form, we use the feminine subject form of the adjective. For the word dýr, this form is identical to the base dictionary word, so no extra endings are added.
Why isn't there a word for "the" attached to skeið, like skeiðin?
In Icelandic, when you use a pointing word like þessi (this), the noun following it usually stays in its plain form. You do not add the attached "the" ending, so it is just þessi skeið.
How does the word order show this is a question?
To make a yes or no question in Icelandic, you simply move the verb to the very beginning of the sentence. By putting er (is) at the front, it turns the statement into a question.