erfiðar

Erfiðar is an Icelandic adjective that means difficult or arduous. It is the feminine plural form used to modify feminine plural nouns. In Icelandic, adjectives agree with the gender and number of the nouns they describe, so erfiðar accompanies feminine plural nouns such as aðstæður (circumstances) or spurningar (questions). The word can describe physical, intellectual, or emotional challenges and appears in everyday speech as well as journalism and literature.

Usage and nuance: Erfiðar emphasizes hardship or demand. It conveys that something is challenging or requires effort, without necessarily implying danger. Like other Icelandic adjectives, erfiðar follows standard inflection patterns for degree, so its comparative and superlative forms align with the language’s regular adjective system. It is common in phrases such as erfiðar aðstæður (difficult circumstances) or erfiðar spurningar (difficult questions).

See also: erfiður, erfiðleikar, erfiðleikar orðin erfiðleiki.

Examples:

- Þau bjuggust við erfiðum aðstæðum, en þau komust í gegnum þær. (They expected difficult circumstances, and they got through them.)

- Ræða hans vakti erfiðar spurningar í þinghaldi. (His speech raised difficult questions in the parliament.)

Erfiðar is primarily used attributively with feminine plural nouns; it is not a standalone noun.