ertu / viltu / talarðu

Joined Forms (Ertu, Viltu, Talarðu)

Level 1

When þú follows its verb, it is usually written together with it: Ertu svangur? (Are you hungry?), Viltu kaffi? (Do you want coffee?).

How It Works

When it happens
þú usually joins the verb when it comes right after it. That happens in questions, and in statements that start with something other than the subject, as in The Verb Comes Second:

  • Ertu heima? (Are you at home?)
  • Á morgun ferðu heim. (Tomorrow you go home.)

When þú comes before the verb, nothing changes: Þú ert heima.

Which ending?

  • Verb ends in t or st → -tu: ert → ertu, vilt → viltu, átt → áttu, veist → veistu, varst → varstu.
  • Verb ends in r → -ðu: talar → talarðu, hefur → hefurðu, heitir → heitirðu, segir → segirðu.
  • Verb ends in ð → just -u, since the ð is already there: býrð → býrðu, ferð → ferðu, sérð → sérðu.

Commands join þú to the verb too, but their endings follow the verb stem: komdu, farðu, vertu. See Commands (komdu, farðu).

Joined or separate?
Both are correct. The joined form is the normal one. Keep þú separate when you stress it, for example to contrast two people: Ég er búinn. Ert þú búinn? (I'm done. Are you done?)

Examples (6)

  1. Ertu svangur?

    Are you hungry?

    Word by Word: Are-you hungry?

    ert + þú → ertu. Say svangur to a man and svöng to a woman.

  2. Viltu kaffi?

    Would you like some coffee?

    Word by Word: Want-you coffee?

    vilt ends in t, so þú becomes -tu.

  3. Talarðu íslensku?

    Do you speak Icelandic?

    Word by Word: Speak-you Icelandic?

    talar ends in r, so þú becomes -ðu.

  4. Hvar býrðu?

    Where do you live?

    Word by Word: Where live-you?

    býrð already ends in ð, so only -u is added.

  5. Veistu hvar klósettið er?

    Do you know where the toilet is?

    Word by Word: Know-you where the-toilet is?

    veist ends in st, so þú becomes -tu.

  6. Á morgun ferðu heim.

    Tomorrow you're going home.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow go-you home.

    This is a statement. þú joins the verb because á morgun comes first.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting þú in front and still using the joined form.

    Þú ertu svangur.
    Þú ert svangur.

    ertu already contains þú. Use the joined form only when þú comes after the verb. If þú comes first, write the plain verb: þú ert.

  • Using -tu after a verb that ends in r.

    Talartu íslensku?
    Talarðu íslensku?

    -tu goes only after t or st, as in ertu and veistu. After r, the ending is -ðu: talarðu, hefurðu, heitirðu.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ertu / viltu / talarðuLevel 1Joined Forms (Ertu, Viltu, Talarðu)

Learn This First

Joined forms come from questions with þú.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

áttuskaltuerttalar þú