Nútíð

Nútíð is the Icelandic term for the present time, used to describe both the present tense in grammar and the current period in history and culture.

In Icelandic grammar, nútíð expresses actions or states that occur now or are generally true. It is contrasted with þátíð (past) and framtíð (future). Most verbs form the nútíð by attaching person endings to the verb stem; many verbs are regular, though some are irregular or use small stem changes.

Examples show how the present tense functions in ordinary sentences. For instance, Ég er kennari. (I am a teacher.) Við erum hér. (We are here.) These sentences illustrate the use of the present tense of the verb vera (to be), one of the common ways nútíð appears in everyday speech.

Etymology and scope: The word nútíð combines nút (now) and tíð (time) and is related to cognates in other Nordic languages. Beyond grammar, nútíð is also used to refer to the present era in historical or cultural contexts, marking the contemporary period rather than a specific verb tense.

See also: þátíð, framtíð, Icelandic grammar, time expressions.