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Questions & Answers about Mamma segir söguna.
What is the default word order in Icelandic, and does Mamma segir söguna follow it?
Icelandic main clauses obey the V2 (verb-second) rule. That means the finite verb must occupy the second position. In Mamma segir söguna, Mamma (subject) is first, segir (verb) is second, and söguna (object) is third. This is a standard S-V-O arrangement under V2.
What case and definiteness does söguna show, and why does it end in -na?
söguna is the accusative singular definite form of saga (“story”). In Icelandic, direct objects take the accusative case, and definite nouns add a suffix. For feminine singular nouns, the accusative definite suffix is -na.
Why doesn’t Mamma have a definite suffix or article?
Icelandic has no separate indefinite article; a bare noun is indefinite by default. Only definite nouns receive a suffix (like -in, -inn, -ið). So mamma without a suffix is indefinite (“a mother” or simply “mom” in context).
Why is Mamma capitalized here—does it become a proper noun?
No. Only the first word of a sentence is capitalized in Icelandic unless it’s a proper noun. mamma would be lower-case mid-sentence, since it’s a common noun.
What’s the infinitive of segir, and how is it conjugated in the present tense?
The infinitive is segja (“to say, to tell”). Present tense conjugation:
• ég segi
• þú segir
• hann/hún/það segir
• við segjum
• þið segið
• þeir/þær/þau segja
Here segir is the 3rd person singular form (“he/she/it says/tells”).
How would you say “Mom told the story” in Icelandic?
Use the past tense of segja, which is sagði for the 3rd singular. The sentence becomes Mamma sagði söguna.
How do you ask “Does mom tell the story?” as a yes/no question?
Invert the subject and verb (V-S-O) so the verb comes first:
Segir mamma söguna?
You can raise your intonation at the end to signal a question.
How is the ö in söguna pronounced, and what sound does the g make there?
ö is pronounced [œː] (similar to the vowel in French œ). The g between vowels is a voiced fricative [ɣ] (a soft “gh”). So söguna sounds roughly [ˈsœːɣʏna].
Could you use móðir instead of mamma, and what’s the difference?
Yes. móðir is the more formal or literary word for “mother.” You would say Móðir segir söguna, but this sounds more bookish. mamma is the colloquial kinship term used in everyday speech.