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Questions & Answers about Hvaðan er kennarinn?
Why use hvaðan instead of hvar for "where"?
In Icelandic, the word for "where" changes depending on movement or origin. You use hvar when asking about a stationary location ("where at"), but you must use hvaðan when asking about origin or movement away from a place ("where from").
Do I need to add a separate word for "from" at the end of the sentence?
No! In English, we often say "Where is the teacher from?", leaving "from" at the end. In Icelandic, the meaning of "from" is already built into the single word hvaðan (which literally means "from-where"). You do not need to add the Icelandic word for "from" (frá).
Where is the word for "the" in kennarinn?
Icelandic doesn't use a separate word for "the" before a noun like English does. Instead, it attaches to the end of the noun. The base word for "teacher" is kennari, and adding the -nn ending makes it kennarinn ("the teacher").
Why does the verb er come before the subject kennarinn?
Just like in English, when an Icelandic sentence starts with a question word (like hvaðan), the verb (er, meaning "is") must come next. The subject you are asking about (kennarinn) follows right after the verb.