Breakdown of Við höfum ekki pláss og ég hef ekki þolinmæði.
og
and
ég
I
ekki
not
við
we
hafa
to have
plássið
the space
þolinmæðin
the patience
Questions & Answers about Við höfum ekki pláss og ég hef ekki þolinmæði.
Why do we use höfum and hef here instead of erum með and er með?
In Icelandic, we use the verb hafa (to have) for abstract concepts, like pláss (space) and þolinmæði (patience). For physical objects you can hold or wear, you would usually use the phrase vera með instead.
Why does the verb change from höfum to hef?
Hafa is an irregular verb, meaning its spelling changes heavily depending on who is doing the action. We use höfum with við (we) and hef with ég (I).
Why is ekki placed directly after the verbs?
In Icelandic sentences, the main verb is almost always in the second position. The word ekki (not) typically comes right after that conjugated verb. That is why the sentence goes Við höfum ekki rather than matching the English word order of 'We do not have'.
Does the verb hafa affect the form of the nouns pláss and þolinmæði?
Yes, the verb hafa forces the things being 'had' into the accusative case. Luckily for beginners, both pláss and þolinmæði look exactly the same in the accusative case as they do in their basic dictionary forms.
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