Understanding the Icelandic Present Simple Tense
The Present Simple Tense in Icelandic is used to describe actions that happen regularly or facts that are always true. It's like saying what you do every day or what is true all the time.
Important Points
- Describes regular actions or habits.
- States facts or truths.
- Can be used for future events if the time is mentioned.
- Often used with time expressions like 'always', 'every day', or 'never'.
How to Form the Present Simple Tense
In Icelandic, verbs change their endings to show who is doing the action. This is called conjugation. You need to know the subject (who is doing the action) to choose the right verb ending.
Important Points
- Find the verb you want to use.
- Identify the subject (I, you, he, she, we, they).
- Change the verb ending to match the subject.
Examples
- Ég les bók. (I read a book.)
- Hún syngur fallega. (She sings beautifully.)
- Við borðum ávexti á hverjum degi. (We eat fruits every day.)
Time expressions help show how often something happens. They are often used with the Present Simple Tense to make the meaning clearer.
Important Points
- Always (alltaf)
- Every day (á hverjum degi)
- Never (aldrei)
Examples
- Hann fer í skólann á hverjum degi. (He goes to school every day.)
- Ég borða aldrei fisk. (I never eat fish.)
- Þau spila alltaf fótbolta á laugardögum. (They always play soccer on Saturdays.)