Bíllinn er þinn.

to be

Breakdown of Bíllinn er þinn.

• bíllinn: the car
• þinn: your

Questions & Answers about Bíllinn er þinn.

Why does bíllinn end with -inn?

In Icelandic the definite article is not a separate word but a suffix.

• The indefinite form is bíll (“a car”).
• To say “the car,” you add -inn to get bíllinn.

What is the gender of bíll and how does that affect both bíllinn and þinn?

Bíll is a masculine noun.

• As a masculine noun, its definite ending is -inn → bíllinn.
• The possessive pronoun must agree in gender (as well as number and case), so you use the masculine form þinn rather than þín or þitt.

Why is the possessive pronoun þinn used instead of þín or þitt?

Icelandic possessive pronouns change form to match the gender, number, and case of the noun they refer to:

• þinn = masculine singular (matches bíll)
• þín = feminine singular
• þitt = neuter singular
  Since bíll is masculine singular, we use þinn.

What case is þinn in here, and why is it nominative rather than genitive?