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Questions & Answers about Kaupin voru góð.
What form is kaupin?
Kaupin is the definite nominative plural form of kaup.
A few useful points:
- kaup can mean purchase, deal, bargain, or in some contexts wages/pay
- the ending -in is the attached definite article, so kaupin means the purchase(s)/the deal/the bargain, depending on context
- in this sentence, it is the subject
So grammatically, kaupin is not just a basic dictionary form plus a separate word for the. In Icelandic, the is usually added onto the end of the noun.
Why is kaupin plural when English might use a singular word?
This is a very common learner question. Some Icelandic nouns are often used in the plural where English may prefer a singular expression.
With kaup, Icelandic often treats the idea as plural in form, especially in expressions referring to a purchase, deal, or bargain. So even if English says something like The deal was good, Icelandic may use a plural-looking noun.
That is why the verb is also plural:
- kaupin = plural subject
- voru = were, not was
So the plural is not a mistake; it is just how Icelandic commonly expresses this idea.
What does voru mean here?