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Questions & Answers about Netfangið mitt er á kortinu.
What does the suffix -ið on netfangið indicate?
In Icelandic, definite articles attach as suffixes. Since netfang (“email address”) is a neuter noun, adding -ið makes it definite: netfangið = “the email address.”
How can I tell that netfangið is in the nominative case (and not dative or accusative)?
Here netfangið is the subject of the sentence (“My email address is …”), so it’s in the nominative. Neuter nouns have identical endings for nominative and accusative (-ið), but the function as subject tells you it’s nominative.
Why is the possessive pronoun mitt used instead of min, mína, or mín?
Possessive pronouns in Icelandic agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case. Netfang is neuter singular in the nominative, so the correct form is mitt (“my” for neuter nom. sg.).
Why does the possessive pronoun come after the noun (i.e. netfangið mitt instead of mitt netfangið)?
In standard Icelandic word order, a dependent possessive adjective or pronoun follows the noun it modifies. So you always say netfangið mitt, bókin mín, bíllinn hans, etc.
Can I say mitt netfang instead of netfangið mitt?
No. You need the noun first, then the possessive, and you still keep the definite article suffix. The correct, unambiguous form is netfangið mitt.
Why is kortinu in the dative case, and what does á have to do with it?
The preposition á when expressing location (on/at) governs the dative case. Kort is a neuter noun; its definite dative singular form is kortinu (“on the card/map”). So er á kortinu = “is on the card.”
What are the definite dative singular endings for each gender in Icelandic?
Masculine: -num (hestur → hestinum)
Feminine: -inni (bók → bókinni)
Neuter: -inu (kort → kortinu)
How would I ask “Where is my email address?” so that “Netfangið mitt er á kortinu” can answer it?
You’d say:
Hvar er netfangið mitt?
Literally: “Where is the email address my?”
How do I say “My email address is not on the card”?
Simply insert ekki (not) after the verb:
Netfangið mitt er ekki á kortinu.
How do I choose between á and í when expressing “on” vs. “in”?
Use á + dative for something on a surface or at an open location (on the table, on the map, at the office). Use í + dative for something inside an enclosed space (in the box, in the room). For motion toward those places, you’d switch to accusative: á + acc. (“onto/at to”) or í + acc. (“into/to”).