Breakdown of Ég bý í Reykjavík.
ég
I
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
Reykjavík
Reykjavik
búa
to live (in a place), to dwell
Questions & Answers about Ég bý í Reykjavík.
Why is the verb spelled bý here instead of its dictionary form?
The dictionary form (the infinitive) is búa, which means to reside. In Icelandic, verbs change their shape depending on who is doing the action. When you use Ég (I), the verb becomes bý. This is a slightly irregular but very common verb, so you will see this form a lot!
I learned that prepositions like í change the ending of the following word. Why is it still just Reykjavík?
You are exactly right that the preposition í forces the next word into the dative case when you are talking about a location. However, the dative form of the word Reykjavík happens to be identical to its base form. So it actually is in the dative case here, even though the spelling did not change.
Can I use bý to say I am alive?
No, bý (from the verb búa) only means to live in the sense of residing or dwelling somewhere, like a city or a house. If you want to talk about being alive, you must use a different verb, which is lifa.
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