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Þetta er vandamálið, hver er lausnin?

Þetta er vandamálið, hver er lausnin?
This is the problem, what is the solution?
From Lesson 71:The indefinite pronoun no one (enginn)·Icelandic

Questions & Answers about Þetta er vandamálið, hver er lausnin?

Why is it hver here when the English translation says 'what'?
In English, we say 'What is the solution?'. But in Icelandic, when asking 'what is the [noun]?', the question word needs to match the gender of that noun. Since lausn (solution) is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine form hver instead of the neuter hvað.
Does þetta match the gender of vandamálið?
Yes! Vandamál is a neuter noun, so the neuter pronoun þetta (this) is a perfect match. However, it's worth remembering that Icelandic often uses the neuter þetta as a generic 'this' anyway when introducing a new situation or concept, regardless of the noun's gender.
How are the definite articles ('the') attached to the nouns in this sentence?
Icelandic attaches 'the' to the end of the word. Because vandamál is a neuter noun, it takes the neuter ending -ið to become vandamálið. Because lausn is a feminine noun, it takes the feminine ending -in to become lausnin.
How would I answer this question using enginn (no one/none) from our current lesson?
If there is no solution, you would say Það er engin lausn (There is no solution). Because lausn is a feminine noun in the nominative case here, you must use the feminine nominative form engin.

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