tala + Language
Speaking a Language
A language name ends in -a: íslenska. After tala (speak) or læra (learn), it ends in -u: Ég tala íslensku.
How It Works
Most language names are feminine nouns ending in -a: íslenska (Icelandic), enska (English), pólska (Polish), spænska (Spanish), þýska (German).
-a or -u? These nouns keep -a when the language is the subject of the sentence or comes after er. In the other cases they end in -u:
- Subject: Íslenska er skemmtileg. Icelandic is fun.
- After er: Þetta er íslenska. This is Icelandic.
- After a verb such as tala, læra, skilja or kunna (accusative): Ég tala íslensku.
- After á, meaning in a language (dative): Hvað heitir þetta á íslensku?
A vowel change. When the syllable right before the ending has a, that a becomes ö before the -u: danska → dönsku, franska → frönsku, ítalska → ítölsku. This is the u-umlaut.
Small letters. Language names are not capitalized: íslenska, enska. See small letters. People from a country are capitalized, though: Íslendingur.
Examples (6)
- Talarðu ensku?
Do you speak English?
Word by Word: Speak-you English?
- Ég er að læra pólsku.
I'm learning Polish.
Word by Word: I am to learn Polish.
- Ég tala ensku og frönsku.
I speak English and French.
Word by Word: I speak English and French.
Franska becomes frönsku: the a changes to ö.
- Íslenska er skemmtileg.
Icelandic is fun.
Word by Word: Icelandic is fun.
As the subject, the language keeps -a.
- Hvað heitir þetta á íslensku?
What is this called in Icelandic?
Word by Word: What is-called this on Icelandic?
- Hún skilur dönsku.
She understands Danish.
Word by Word: She understands Danish.
Common Mistakes
Keeping -a after the verb.
Ég tala íslenska.Ég tala íslensku.After tala, the language is an object in the accusative, and that form ends in -u.
Writing the language with a capital letter, as in English.
Ég er að læra Íslensku.Ég er að læra íslensku.Icelandic writes the names of languages with a small letter.
Forgetting the vowel change before -u.
Ég tala fransku.Ég tala frönsku.An a right before the ending becomes ö when -u follows: franska → frönsku, danska → dönsku.
How It Connects
Learn This First
tala + language builds on a-verbs.
Related Patterns
- The Accusative (þolfall)
The language is the object of tala, so it is in the accusative.
Level 2 - Feminine Nouns in -a
Language names are weak feminine nouns, which end in -u outside the nominative.
Level 2 - Vowel Change: a → öThe A-to-Ö Change
Danska → dönsku shows the a-to-ö change before u.
Level 3 - Small Letters for Days, Months and Languages
Language names are written with a small letter.
Level 2 - vera að + InfinitiveDoing Something Now (Vera Að)
Ég er að læra íslensku uses vera að for what you are doing now.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice tala + Language in Bubblegum
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