Við förum upp á þriðju hæð.

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Breakdown of Við förum upp á þriðju hæð.

• fara: to go
• á: to
• upp: up

Questions & Answers about Við förum upp á þriðju hæð.

Why is the phrase upp á used here? Can't I just say á þriðju hæð or í þriðju hæð?

In Icelandic upp á describes upward movement onto something (“up to” or “onto”). You could say Við förum á þriðju hæð, but adding upp makes the motion clearer (“we go up to the third floor”). You wouldn’t use í with hæð because hæð (a floor level) is treated as a surface—motions onto surfaces normally take á.

Why is þriðju used instead of þriðja?

Þriðju is the accusative feminine singular form of the ordinal þriðji (“third”). Here þriðju hæð is the object of the preposition á indicating movement, so both the noun hæð and the adjective þriðju must take the accusative case. The nominative would be þriðja hæð, but that isn’t used after á for motion.

What case is þriðju hæð in, and why?

It’s accusative because prepositions like á take the accusative case when expressing motion toward a place. Since you’re “going up onto the third floor,” it’s directional and triggers the accusative.

Why is there no definite article like hæðina after þriðju?