Level A1
Þú
If the word þú (“you”) comes directly after a verb (such as in questions: “Are you?”), þú is usually merged with the verb. This only happens with the word form þú and not any of its other cases (such as þig).
The rules are:
- If the verb ends in a “t” or an “ð”, just add a “u”:
- ert + þú → ertu
- kemst + þú → kemstu
- fórst + þú → fórstu
- ferð + þú → ferðu
- Otherwise, add a “ðu”:
- kemur + þú → kemurðu
- ætlar + þú → ætlarðu
Notice that the “ð” in the words “kemurðu” and “ætlarðu” isn’t pronounced, it is just [kemuru] and [ætlaru]. The “ð” is however pronounced in “farðu” since the original verb includes it.
If you want to emphasize “þú”, you don’t have to merge these words.
Þið
A similar thing regarding pronunciation happens when the word form þið is behind a verb: “Eruð þið” is pronounced [eruði] and “fóruð þið” is pronounced [fóruði]. However, the words are just written seperately.[a]