Question 1

Why is there no word for "Do" at the beginning of this question?

Accepted Answer

In Icelandic, you don't use a helper word like "do" to ask a yes/no question. Instead, you just swap the order of the subject and the verb. The statement "They have" is Þau hafa, so to ask "Do they have?", you simply flip it to Hafa þau?

Question 2

We learned before that "to have" is often vera með. Why are we using hafa here?

Accepted Answer

You use the phrase vera með (literally "to be with") when you are talking about holding, carrying, or physically possessing a tangible object, like a book or a dog. However, for abstract concepts that you can't touch—like time (tími), an idea, or an illness—you must use the verb hafa.

Question 3

Why does the word for time end in an "a" (tíma) instead of an "i"?

Accepted Answer

The dictionary form of the word for "time" is tími. But because "time" is the direct object of the verb hafa—it's the thing that is being had—it must change into the accusative case. For this specific masculine noun, the ending changes from -i to -a, making it tíma.

Question 4

Is hafa the dictionary form of the verb, or is it conjugated for þau?

Accepted Answer

It is both! A handy rule for plural subjects in Icelandic ("we", "you all", and "they") is that the present tense verb usually looks exactly like the infinitive (the dictionary form). Since þau means "they", the verb takes the base form hafa.

Question 5

When do I use þau for "they" instead of other words like þeir or þær?

Accepted Answer

Þau is the neuter plural form of "they". In Icelandic, if a group of people is entirely male, you use þeir, and if it's entirely female, you use þær. You use þau when the group contains a mix of genders, or when you are talking about people whose genders you don't know.

Hafa þau tíma í dag?

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