Learn Icelandic: Notar þú varalitinn þegar þú farðar þig? - Do you use the lipstick when you put makeup on?

Notar þú varalitinn þegar þú farðar þig?

Do you use the lipstick when you put makeup on?

Breakdown of Notar þú varalitinn þegar þú farðar þig?

Questions & Answers about Notar þú varalitinn þegar þú farðar þig?

Why does the sentence end with þig instead of a special reflexive word for "yourself"?

In Icelandic, there is no special reflexive word for "myself", "yourself", or "ourselves". Instead, you just use the regular object pronouns. Because the verb farða takes the accusative case, you use the accusative personal pronoun þig to mean "yourself". Only the third person (he, she, it, they) gets a special reflexive word (sig).

Does the verb farða always need a pronoun after it?

Yes, when you mean putting makeup on yourself. In English we often just say "I put makeup on", but in Icelandic, the verb farða literally means "to apply makeup to someone". If you are applying it to yourself, you must add the reflexive object þig (or mig if you were talking about "myself").

How does the word varalitinn break down?

It comes from varalitur (lipstick), which is made of vara (of lips) and litur (color). Because it is the direct object of the verb notar (use), it changes to the accusative form varalit. Then, the definite article "the" (-inn) is attached to the end, giving us varalitinn.

Why does the sentence start with Notar þú instead of Þú notar?