Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Ég borga með peningum.

• Ég means I.
• borga means pay.
• með means with.
• peningum is the dative plural form of peningar (money).
So, the sentence literally translates as I pay with money.

Why is peningum in the dative case instead of the nominative?

In Icelandic, many prepositions require their accompanying noun to be in a specific case. The preposition með always takes the dative case. Therefore, peningar becomes peningum in the dative plural when used with með.

Why is the word for money, peningar, used in the plural form in this sentence?

Unlike English, where money is an uncountable noun, the Icelandic word for money is most commonly used in the plural form. This is why even though it translates to money, its dative plural form peningum is used after the preposition með.

How does the structure of Ég borga með peningum. compare to a simple English sentence?

The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Prepositional Phrase format, similar to English. Ég (I) is the subject, borga (pay) is the verb, and með peningum (with money) is a prepositional phrase indicating the means by which the action is done. The main difference is that Icelandic explicitly marks case with noun endings.

How is the verb borga conjugated in this sentence and is this form regular?

Borga is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb að borga (to pay). In Icelandic, many verbs display inflection for person and tense. In this case, borga is the form used with ég (I). Although Icelandic verb conjugation can vary, this form is considered regular for the subject I.