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Questions & Answers about Brúin er opin.
Why does brúin end with -in instead of using a separate word for “the”?
Icelandic doesn’t have a separate definite article like English the. Instead you attach a suffix to the noun. Here brú (“bridge”) is a feminine noun, and the definite singular ending for many feminine nouns is -in:
• brú → brúin (“the bridge”)
How do I know that brú is feminine?
You usually check a dictionary, which will list the gender. As a rule of thumb, many Icelandic nouns ending in -u in the nominative singular are feminine. Also, the form of the definite suffix gives a clue:
• Feminine sg def: -in (one “n”)
• Masculine sg def: -inn (two “n”s)
Since brúin has only one “n,” it’s the feminine form.
Why is the word for “open” here opin, not opinn?
Adjectives in Icelandic agree with the noun’s gender, number and case. This sentence uses opin because:
- “open” is traditionally opinn in the masculine nominative singular.
- The feminine nominative singular form is opin.
- In Brúin er opin, both noun and adjective are nominative singular feminine.
What are the other gender forms of “open”?