Breakdown of Við höfum reist nýja kirkju hér.
hér
here
nýr
new
við
we
hafa
to have
kirkjan
the church
reisa
to build
Questions & Answers about Við höfum reist nýja kirkju hér.
How do we form the supine reist from the infinitive reisa?
Reisa (to build or erect) is a Group 2 weak verb. To make the supine (the form used after the helper verb hafa), you simply drop the -a from the infinitive and add -t. Therefore, reisa becomes reist.
Why does kirkja change to kirkju in this sentence?
It is the direct object of the sentence (the thing being built), which means it must take the accusative case. Kirkja is a feminine noun, and its accusative singular form is kirkju.
Why is the adjective nýja used instead of the dictionary form nýr or ný?
Adjectives always have to match the gender, number, and case of the noun they describe. Because kirkju is a feminine, singular noun in the accusative case, the strong adjective nýr (new) must also take its feminine, singular, accusative form, which is nýja.
Could I use the verb byggja (to build) instead of reisa?
Yes, saying við höfum byggt nýja kirkju hér would also be perfectly correct. Reisa literally translates to "to raise" or "to erect," and it is a very natural and common choice in Icelandic when talking about putting up tall structures or significant buildings like a church.
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