What are common mistakes with Spurnarorð?

Mixing up hvar (where) with hver (who) and hvað (what). Forgetting V2 word order in questions. 🇬🇧 English speakers: Similar wh- question words (who/what/where/when/why/how). V2 word order is different from English. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian кто/что/где/когда/почему/как map well. Word order is more flexible in Russian. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech kdo/co/kde/kdy/proč/jak are good parallels. Czech has freer word order. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German wer/was/wo/wann/warum/wie + V2 rule is identical — excellent transfer!

Spurnarorð

A1 — Setningafræði

Question words: hver, hvað, hvar, hvenær, hvers vegna, hvernig, hvaða

Can form questions using Icelandic question words with correct V2 word order

Question words: hver, hvað, hvar, hvenær, hvers vegna, hvernig, hvaða

Examples

Hvað heitir þú? — What is your name?
Hvar er næsta hótel? — Where is the nearest hotel?
Hvers vegna ertu hér? — Why are you here?

SetningafræðiA1

Question Words

Question words: hver, hvað, hvar, hvenær, hvers vegna, hvernig, hvaða

Learning Goal

Can form questions using Icelandic question words with correct V2 word order

Exam Skills:VISC-A1

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Hvað heitir þú?

What is your name?

Hvar er næsta hótel?

Where is the nearest hotel?

Hvers vegna ertu hér?

Why are you here?

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Íslensk spurnarorð (question words):

Spurnarorð	Merking	Dæmi
Hver?	Who?	Hver er þetta? (Who is this?)
Hvað?	What?	Hvað gerir þú? (What do you do?)
Hvar?	Where?	Hvar ertu? (Where are you?)
Hvenær?	When?	Hvenær kemur þú? (When are you coming?)
Hvers vegna?	Why?	Hvers vegna? (Why?)
Hvernig?	How?	Hvernig hefur þú það? (How are you?)
Hvaða?	Which?/What kind?	Hvaða bók? (Which book?)
Hversu?	How (much/many)?	Hversu margir? (How many?)

Orðaröð: Spurnarorð + sagnorð + frumlag: Hvar er Anna? (Where is Anna?). Sagnorðið kemur alltaf á öðru sæti (V2 reglan).

Mixing up hvar (where) with hver (who) and hvað (what). Forgetting V2 word order in questions. 🇬🇧 English speakers: Similar wh- question words (who/what/where/when/why/how). V2 word order is different from English.

Hvað heitir þú?

What is your name?

Hvað heitir þú? — literally 'What are-called you?'

Hvar er næsta hótel?

Where is the nearest hotel?

Hvar = where. V2 word order: question + verb + subject.

Hvers vegna ertu hér?

Why are you here?

Hvers vegna = why. Ertu = er + þú (contraction).

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

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Frequently asked questions

When is Spurnarorð used?: Orðaröð: Spurnarorð + sagnorð + frumlag: Hvar er Anna? (Where is Anna?). Sagnorðið kemur alltaf á öðru sæti (V2 reglan).
What are common mistakes with Spurnarorð?: Mixing up hvar (where) with hver (who) and hvað (what). Forgetting V2 word order in questions. 🇬🇧 English speakers: Similar wh- question words (who/what/where/when/why/how). V2 word order is different from English. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian кто/что/где/когда/почему/как map well. Word order is more flexible in Russian. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech kdo/co/kde/kdy/proč/jak are good parallels. Czech has freer word order. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German wer/was/wo/wann/warum/wie + V2 rule is identical — excellent transfer!