Learn Icelandic: Talan er tíu milljónir. - The number is ten million.

Talan er tíu milljónir.

The number is ten million.

Breakdown of Talan er tíu milljónir.

the number (numerical, digit)

Questions & Answers about Talan er tíu milljónir.

Why does milljón have an -ir ending here?

Unlike in English, where we say ten million, the Icelandic word milljón is a regular feminine noun meaning a million. Because there are ten of them, it must be in the plural form: milljónir (millions).

Do I need to change tíu to match the gender of milljónir?

No. In Icelandic, only the numbers one through four change their endings to match the gender and case of the noun they describe. Numbers from five upwards, like tíu, stay exactly the same.

Why is the verb er (is) singular when the amount is ten million?

The verb er agrees with the grammatical subject of the sentence, which is talan (the number). Since talan is a singular noun, the verb must be singular, just like in English.

I remember tala means to speak. Is talan a related word?

Yes! The verb að tala means to speak or to talk, but tala is also a feminine noun meaning a number or a figure. Here we see it with the attached definite article -n, making it talan (the number).