vera
To Be (Vera)
ég er · þú ert · hann/hún/það er · við erum · þið eruð · þeir/þær/þau eru
How It Works
The present tense
- ég er I am
- þú ert you are
- hann, hún, það er he, she, it is
- við erum we are
- þið eruð you all are
- þeir, þær, þau eru they are
In questions, ert þú is joined into ertu: Ertu svangur? See Joined Forms.
What comes after vera
- A noun, with no word for a: Ég er kennari. See No Word for A.
- An adjective, agreeing with the subject: Ég er þreyttur (man), Ég er þreytt (woman), Við erum þreytt (mixed group). See Adjectives Agree With Nouns.
- A place: Hún er í Reykjavík. Þau eru heima.
More with vera
- Doing something right now: Ég er að lesa. See Doing Something Now.
- Age: Ég er tuttugu ára. See Saying Your Age.
- The past is var: Ég var heima. See Past of Vera, Hafa, Eiga and Vita.
Examples (6)
- Ég er kennari.
I am a teacher.
Word by Word: I am teacher.
- Ertu svangur?
Are you hungry?
Word by Word: Are-you hungry?
ertu is ert þú. svangur is masculine, so you are asking a man or boy.
- Hún er í Reykjavík.
She is in Reykjavík.
Word by Word: She is in Reykjavík.
- Við erum þreytt.
We are tired.
Word by Word: We are tired.
þreytt is neuter plural, so the group is mixed.
- Hvar eruð þið?
Where are you all?
Word by Word: Where are you-all?
- Þau eru frá Íslandi.
They are from Iceland.
Word by Word: They are from Iceland.
Common Mistakes
Using er with við.
Við er þreytt.Við erum þreytt.vera changes with the person. With við, the form is erum.
Using er with þú.
Þú er mjög fyndinn.Þú ert mjög fyndinn.With þú, the form is ert. In questions it joins with þú: ertu.
Using the masculine adjective when a woman talks about herself.
Ég heiti Anna og ég er þreyttur.Ég heiti Anna og ég er þreytt.The adjective after vera agrees with the speaker. A woman says þreytt.
How It Connects
Learn This First
vera is conjugated with the personal pronouns.
Related Patterns
- ertu / viltu / talarðuJoined Forms (Ertu, Viltu, Talarðu)
ert þú is joined into ertu in questions.
Level 1 - Adjectives Agree With Nouns
Adjectives after vera agree with the subject in gender and number.
Level 1 - No Word for A
A noun after vera takes no word for a: Ég er kennari.
Level 1 - vera að + InfinitiveDoing Something Now (Vera Að)
vera að + an infinitive says what someone is doing right now.
Level 1 - var / hafði / átti / vissiPast of Vera, Hafa, Eiga and Vita
var is the past tense of vera.
Level 2 - ég er ... áraSaying Your Age
You give your age with vera: Ég er tuttugu ára.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice vera in Bubblegum
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