vera með
Having with You (Vera Með)
vera með means to have something with you or about you: Ertu með síma? (Do you have a phone on you?).
How It Works
How to build it. Use vera + með + the thing: Ég er með lykil (I have a key with me). In questions, þú joins vera: Ertu með ...?
What it covers.
- Things you have on you now: Ertu með síma? Ertu með lyklana?
- Illnesses and pains: Ég er með hausverk (a headache), Hann er með kvef (a cold), Hún er með hita (a fever).
- Features: Hún er með blá augu (She has blue eyes).
- Questions and ideas: Ég er með spurningu (I have a question).
The accusative. In this "have" meaning, the thing after með is in the accusative: hausverkur becomes hausverk and lyklarnir becomes lyklana. When með means "together with a person", it takes the dative: Ég er með honum (I'm with him). The preposition með explains both meanings.
Ertu með? On its own, Ertu með? means "Are you in?" or "Are you coming along?"
vera með, eiga or hafa? Ég á síma means you own a phone. Ég er með síma means you have it with you now. hafa is used for abstract things like time.
Examples (6)
- Ertu með síma?
Do you have a phone on you?
Word by Word: Are-you with phone?
- Ég er með hausverk.
I have a headache.
Word by Word: I am with headache.
- Hún er með blá augu.
She has blue eyes.
Word by Word: She is with blue eyes.
- Ég er með spurningu.
I have a question.
Word by Word: I am with question.
- Ertu með lyklana?
Do you have the keys?
Word by Word: Are-you with the-keys?
lyklarnir becomes lyklana in the accusative.
- Hann er með kvef.
He has a cold.
Word by Word: He is with cold.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the thing in the nominative.
Ég er með hausverkur.Ég er með hausverk.In the "have" meaning, the word after með is accusative: hausverkur becomes hausverk.
Using the dative for something you are carrying.
Ertu með lyklunum?Ertu með lyklana?For things you have on you, með takes the accusative. The dative is for being together with someone, as in Ég er með honum.
How It Connects
Learn This First
vera með builds on vera and með.
Related Patterns
- eigaTo Own (Eiga)
The verb for owning something, not just having it on you.
Level 1 - hafaTo Have (Hafa)
The verb for abstract things like time.
Level 1 - The Accusative (þolfall)
The case of the thing you have.
Level 2 - mér er kaltBeing Cold or Warm (Mér Er Kalt)
Another common way to talk about how your body feels.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice vera með in Bubblegum
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