Ljósið er fyrir ofan gluggann.

The light is above the window.

Breakdown of Ljósið er fyrir ofan gluggann.

• vera: to be
• glugginn: the window
• ljósið: the light
• fyrir ofan: above

Questions & Answers about Ljósið er fyrir ofan gluggann.

Why does ljósið end in -ið?

ljós is a neuter noun. In Icelandic the definite article is attached as a suffix. For neuter nouns in the nominative (and accusative) singular the suffix is -ið, so “ljós” → “ljósið” = the light.

What gender is ljós and how does it affect its form?

ljós is neuter. Neuter nouns
• have identical nominative and accusative forms in the indefinite singular (both “ljós”)
• take the suffix -ið to mark the definite singular.

Why is gluggann spelled with -ann instead of -inn?

The noun gluggi (window) is a masculine “-i-stem.”
• Its indefinite accusative singular is glugga.
• When you add the definite article -inn to that accusative base, the final a merges and you get gluggann.

What case is gluggann and why?

gluggann is accusative singular definite. The compound preposition fyrir ofan (“above”) takes the accusative when indicating a fixed location.

What does er represent in this sentence?

er is the 3rd-person singular present of the verb vera (to be). It links the subject ljósið to its location.

What kind of preposition is fyrir ofan, and how does it differ from yfir?

fyrir ofan is a two-word preposition meaning “above.”
• It always governs the accusative.
• yfir alone can also mean “over/above,” but when used for location it usually takes the dative (e.g. ljósið er yfir glugganum).

How would you make the sentence plural: “The lights are above the windows”?

You say: • ljós → ljósin (plural definite)
• gluggi → gluggana (accusative plural definite)
Full sentence: Ljósin eru fyrir ofan gluggana.

If I wanted to say “The light is on the window” instead of above it, what changes?

Use the preposition á with the dative: Ljósið er á glugganum.
Here glugganum is the dative singular definite of gluggi.

How do you pronounce “Ljósið er fyrir ofan gluggann”?

IPA approximation: [ˈljouːsɪð ɛr ˈfɪːrɪr ˈɔːvan ˈklʏɣkan]
Simplified: LYOH-sith air FEE-rir OH-van GLEUG-gan