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Questions & Answers about Hún sendir tölvupóst á netfangið þitt án tafar.
Why is tölvupóst used instead of tölvupóstur?
tölvupóstur is the dictionary (nominative) form of the masculine u-stem noun “computer mail,” but when it appears as a direct object it takes the accusative singular, which for u-stem nouns drops the -ur ending. Hence tölvupóst here is simply the accusative of tölvupóstur.
What case is netfangið þitt in, and why is it definite?
netfang (“address”) is a neuter noun. In the definite singular it takes -ið, giving netfangið. Because it’s “your address,” you add the possessive þitt after the noun. So netfangið þitt is the definite accusative singular: “your (specific) email address.”
Why does á govern netfangið þitt, and what case does it require?
Here á means “to” in the sense of sending something “onto/at” an address. When á expresses direction or target, it takes the accusative. That’s why you see á netfangið rather than dative á netfangi.
Why is the possessive þitt placed after netfangið rather than before it?
In Icelandic, when you have a definite noun (one with the article ending -ið), the possessive pronoun comes after the noun (e.g. bíllinn minn, not minn bíllinn). If the noun were indefinite you could say þitt netfang, but with the article you must say netfangið þitt.
What does án tafar mean, and what case is tafar?
án means “without” and always takes the genitive. The noun töf (“delay”) in the genitive singular becomes tafar. So án tafar literally means “without delay.”
Could you put án tafar at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis? How would the word order change?
Yes. Icelandic uses V2 word order (verb in second position). If you front án tafar, the verb comes next, then the subject:
Án tafar sendir hún tölvupóst á netfangið þitt.
Might you use til instead of á with sendir tölvupóst?
You can say sendir tölvupóst til þín when the recipient is a person (“sends email to you”), but when specifying the actual address you use á + accusative: sendir tölvupóst á netfangið þitt.
Are there alternative Icelandic words for “email” besides tölvupóstur?
Informally people sometimes say netpóstur, but the norm in most style guides is tölvupóstur. Both form their accusative in the same way (e.g. netpóst, tölvupóst).