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Questions & Answers about Hann hreinsar borðið.
What does the ending -ið in borðið mean?
It’s the suffixed definite article, meaning the. Icelandic attaches the article to the noun:
What case is borðið in, and why?
Accusative. Borðið is the direct object of the verb hreinsar (cleans), and hreinsa governs the accusative. For neuter nouns like borð, nominative and accusative look the same; the -ið just marks definiteness.
How do I pronounce the whole sentence?
- Hann: roughly “han” with a long n [hanː]. The double n means a longer n and a short preceding vowel.
- hreinsar: “hr” is a voiceless r (not an English h + r), and ei sounds like the vowel in “say”: [r̥ei̯n-sar].
- borðið: first syllable like “bor” with a short o [bɔr-], ð is the voiced th in “this,” and the ending is “-ið”: [bɔrð-ið] ≈ “bor-thith.”
Why is hann spelled with double n? Do I need to pronounce it long?