Understanding Icelandic Adjective Declensions
In Icelandic, adjectives change their form depending on the gender, number, and case of the noun they describe. This is called declension. These changes help us know more about the noun, like whether it is singular or plural, and what role it plays in the sentence.
Important Points
- Adjectives have different forms for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns.
- There are four cases: nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive.
- Adjectives can be in singular or plural form.
- Strong and weak declensions are used depending on the definiteness of the noun.
Strong and Weak Declensions
Adjectives use strong declension when there is no definite article before the noun. They use weak declension when the noun is definite, usually indicated by a definite article or possessive pronoun.
Examples
- Sterkur maður (A strong man) - strong declension
- Sterki maðurinn (The strong man) - weak declension
- Falleg kona (A beautiful woman) - strong declension
Adjectives change based on the gender of the noun: masculine, feminine, or neuter. They also change if the noun is singular or plural.
Examples
- Lítill strákur (A small boy) - masculine singular
- Lítil stelpa (A small girl) - feminine singular
- Lítil börn (Small children) - neuter plural
Cases in Adjective Declensions
The case of the adjective depends on the noun's role in the sentence. Nominative is for the subject, accusative for the direct object, dative for the indirect object, and genitive shows possession.
Examples
- Nýr bíll (A new car) - nominative case
- Ég sé nýjan bíl (I see a new car) - accusative case
- Ég gef nýjum bíl gjöf (I give a gift to a new car) - dative case