Learning Icelandic can be a rewarding endeavor, but it also comes with its unique set of challenges. One of these challenges is mastering the use of the present and past tenses, particularly the verbs er and var. In this article, we’ll delve into the differences between these two verbs, how they are used, and provide some vocabulary and example sentences to help you better understand their application.

Understanding “Er” – The Present Tense

In Icelandic, the verb er means “is” or “are” in English. It is the present tense form of the verb vera, which means “to be”. This verb is essential because it’s used to describe the current state of being or existence of a person or thing.

er – “is” or “are”
Hann er læknir.
He is a doctor.

vera – “to be”
Ég vil vera kennari.
I want to be a teacher.

When using er, you should be mindful of the subject-verb agreement. The verb remains the same regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural.

Hann – “he”
Hann er nemandi.
He is a student.

Hún – “she”
Hún er kennari.
She is a teacher.

Þau – “they” (gender-neutral)
Þau eru vinir.
They are friends.

Common Uses of “Er”

The verb er is widely used in everyday conversations. Here are some common contexts:

1. **To state facts or conditions**:
Húsið – “the house”
Húsið er stórt.
The house is big.

2. **To describe someone’s profession or role**:
Læknir – “doctor”
Hún er læknir.
She is a doctor.

3. **To indicate location**:
Á Íslandi – “in Iceland”
Hann er á Íslandi.
He is in Iceland.

Understanding “Var” – The Past Tense

The verb var is the past tense form of the verb vera. It translates to “was” or “were” in English and is used to describe a state of being or existence that occurred in the past.

var – “was” or “were”
Hún var nemandi.
She was a student.

voru – “were” (plural form)
Þeir voru vinir.
They were friends.

Just like er, var also requires subject-verb agreement. However, in the past tense, the verb changes slightly depending on whether the subject is singular or plural.

Common Uses of “Var”

1. **To describe past states or conditions**:
Veðrið – “the weather”
Veðrið var gott.
The weather was good.

2. **To talk about previous professions or roles**:
Kennari – “teacher”
Hann var kennari.
He was a teacher.

3. **To indicate past locations**:
Í París – “in Paris”
Ég var í París.
I was in Paris.

Vocabulary and Examples

To help you get a better grasp of these verbs, here are some useful vocabulary words along with example sentences.

læknir – “doctor”
Hún er læknir.
She is a doctor.

kennari – “teacher”
Hann var kennari.
He was a teacher.

nemandi – “student”
Hann er nemandi.
He is a student.

vinir – “friends”
Þeir voru vinir.
They were friends.

hús – “house”
Húsið er hús.
The house is big.

veðrið – “the weather”
Veðrið var veðrið.
The weather was good.

á Íslandi – “in Iceland”
Hann er á Íslandi.
He is in Iceland.

í París – “in Paris”
Ég var í París.
I was in Paris.

Practice Exercises

To reinforce what you’ve learned, here are some practice exercises. Try translating the following sentences from English to Icelandic using er or var.

1. The cat is on the roof.
2. They were happy yesterday.
3. She is a talented musician.
4. We were at the cinema last night.
5. The book is interesting.
6. He was a famous writer.

Answers:
1. Kötturinn er á þakinu.
2. Þeir voru hamingjusamir í gær.
3. Hún er hæfileikarík tónlistarmaður.
4. Við vorum í bíó í gærkvöldi.
5. Bókin er áhugaverð.
6. Hann var frægur rithöfundur.

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between er and var is crucial for mastering Icelandic. The verb er is used in the present tense to describe current states, professions, and locations, while var is used in the past tense to describe previous states, professions, and locations. By practicing with the vocabulary and examples provided, you’ll be well on your way to becoming proficient in using these verbs correctly. Happy learning!