……
Breakdown of Margir nemendur lesa saman í bókasafninu.
saman
together
lesa
to read
nemandinn
the student
í
in
bókasafnið
the library
margur
many
Questions & Answers about Margir nemendur lesa saman í bókasafninu.
What are the parts of speech and grammatical roles in this sentence?
- Margir: adjective, nominative plural masculine, “many,” agreeing with the subject.
- nemendur: noun, nominative plural, “students,” the subject.
- lesa: verb, present tense, 3rd person plural, “read.”
- saman: adverb, “together” (manner).
- í: preposition, “in/inside,” takes dative for location.
- bókasafninu: noun in the dative singular definite, “the library,” object of the preposition í (location).
Why is it margir and not marga/margar/mörg?
Adjectives agree with the noun’s case, number, and grammatical gender. The subject nemendur is nominative plural and grammatically masculine, so the adjective is nominative plural masculine: margir.
- Feminine nom. pl.: margar
- Neuter nom./acc. pl.: mörg
Why is nemendur used instead of nemandi?
Because the subject is plural. Nemandi (student) has an irregular plural: nemendur (students). Key forms:
- Singular: nom. nemandi, acc./dat./gen. nemanda
- Plural: nom./acc. nemendur, dat. nemendum, gen. nemenda
What case is bókasafninu and why?
It’s dative singular definite. The preposition í takes the dative when expressing static location (in/inside), so “in the library” = í bókasafninu. If it were motion into, you’d use accusative: í bókasafnið (“into the library”).
What does the ending -inu in bókasafninu mean?
It’s the suffixed definite article in the dative singular for a neuter noun. Base noun: bókasafn (library). Dative singular indefinite: bókasafni. Add the definite article → bókasafninu = “in the library.”
Could I say á bókasafninu instead of í bókasafninu?
Yes, but there’s a nuance:
- í bókasafninu = “in/inside the library.”
- á bókasafninu = “at the library” (more like at the premises). With static location, both take the dative.
Where does saman go in the sentence? Can it move?
Manner adverbs like saman typically come right after the verb and before place/time phrases: Subject + Verb + saman + Place. So lesa saman í bókasafninu is the most natural. You may hear variants, but placing saman right after the verb is safest.
Why is the verb lesa the same form as the infinitive here?
In the present tense, 3rd person plural often matches the infinitive. Present conjugation of lesa:
- ég les
- þú lest
- hann/hún/það les
- við lesum
- þið lesið
- þeir/þær/þau lesa
How would I say “are reading (right now)” in Icelandic?
Icelandic usually uses the simple present for ongoing actions, but you can emphasize the ongoing aspect with:
- eru að lesa: “are reading” (progressive-like)
- Add a time adverb: núna (“now”), akkúrat núna (“right now”). Example: Margir nemendur eru að lesa saman í bókasafninu núna.
How do I negate this sentence?
Place ekki after the verb:
- Margir nemendur lesa ekki saman í bókasafninu. = “Many students do not read together in the library.” To say “Not many students read…”, negate the quantifier:
- Ekki margir nemendur lesa saman í bókasafninu.
Why is there no separate word for “the” or “a” with these nouns?
Icelandic has no separate indefinite article (no “a/an”), and the definite article is a suffix attached to the noun (and any adjectives agree accordingly). Hence bókasafninu = “the library,” while bókasafni = “a library” (in the dative) without a separate article word.
Does nemendur being grammatically masculine mean the group is male?
Not necessarily. Nemandi/nemendur is a grammatically masculine noun, so adjectives agree in masculine forms (hence margir), even if the group is mixed or all female. Agreement follows grammatical gender, not natural gender.
Is saman með (e.g., “together with”) good Icelandic?
Avoid doubling like that. Use either:
- saman (together, with each other), or
- með [e-m] (with someone). Examples:
- Nemendur lesa saman.
- Nemendur lesa með kennaranum. Using both is usually redundant.
Could I use læra instead of lesa?
Yes, with a change of meaning:
- lesa = “read”
- læra = “study/learn” So Margir nemendur læra saman í bókasafninu. = “Many students study together in the library.”
What cases appear in the sentence overall?
- Nominative plural: Margir nemendur (subject)
- Dative singular: í bókasafninu (location) No accusative or genitive appears here.
Is there a word order change if I start with the place?
Yes; Icelandic main clauses are verb-second. If you front the place phrase, the finite verb remains second:
- Í bókasafninu lesa margir nemendur saman. This is correct and natural, just with a different emphasis.
Can I say “a lot of students” with mikið af?
Prefer margir nemendur for countable people. Mikið af is more natural with mass nouns (e.g., mikið af vatni “a lot of water”). With count nouns, margir/margar/mörg + noun is the idiomatic choice.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Icelandic grammar?”
Icelandic grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning IcelandicMaster Icelandic — from Margir nemendur lesa saman í bókasafninu to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions