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Questions & Answers about Hann hreinsar borðið sjálfur.
What are the grammatical roles of each word?
- Hann = he (nominative singular subject, masculine)
- hreinsar = cleans (3rd person singular present of hreinsa)
- borðið = the table (accusative singular, definite)
- sjálfur = himself (emphatic adjective referring to the subject; nominative masculine singular agreeing with hann)
Why is there no separate word for the in borðið?
Icelandic typically marks definiteness with a suffix on the noun. borð = table; borðið = the table. There is no separate article before the noun like in English. For masculine nouns you might see -inn, for neuter like borð you see -ið.
Which case is borðið in here, and how do we know?
Accusative singular. It’s the direct object of the transitive verb hreinsa, which takes its object in the accusative. For the neuter noun borð, nominative and accusative look the same without the article, but with the definite article they’re both borðið. Context (it’s the object) tells you it’s accusative.
Could it be borðinu instead?
No. borðinu is dative singular definite. You use the dative after certain prepositions or with verbs that govern the dative. hreinsa takes an accusative object, so borðið is correct. Example of dative: á borðinu = on the table (static location).
What is the infinitive of hreinsar, and how does this verb conjugate?
Infinitive: hreinsa (to clean).
- Present: ég hreinsa, þú hreinsar, hann/hún/það hreinsar, við hreinsum, þið hreinsið, þeir/þær/þau hreinsa
- Past (simple): hreinsaði (sg.), hreinsuðum (1pl), hreinsuðu (3pl)
- Past participle: hreinsaður/hreinsuð/hreinsað (m/f/n, used with hafa: hafa hreinsað = have cleaned)
What exactly does sjálfur mean here?
It’s an emphatic meaning roughly he himself or he personally, not anyone else. It can also imply without help depending on context. It does not mean he cleans himself; it emphasizes the subject as the doer.
How would I say he cleans himself?
Use a reflexive object, not sjálfur. For example:
- Hann þvær sér. = He washes himself. (with the verb þvo
- dative reflexive sér)
- Hann rakaði sig. = He shaved (himself). (with the reflexive sig) Using sjálfur would only emphasize who is doing the action, not make it reflexive.
Why is it sjálfur and not sjálf or sjálfir?
sjálfur is an adjective and agrees with the person or noun it emphasizes in gender, number, and case. Here it refers to hann (masculine singular nominative), so sjálfur is used. Other forms:
- hún sjálf (feminine singular)
- þeir sjálfir (masculine plural)
- þær sjálfar (feminine plural)
- þau sjálf (neuter plural)
Does sjálfur always go at the end? Can I move it?
You can move it for different emphasis:
- Hann hreinsar borðið sjálfur. (neutral emphasis at the end)
- Hann sjálfur hreinsar borðið. (stronger focus on the subject)
- Sjálfur hreinsar hann borðið. (fronted focus; remember Icelandic verb-second order keeps hreinsar in second position)
Does sjálfur mean alone or personally?
Both readings are possible from context:
- personally/it’s him rather than someone else
- without help, i.e., by himself To make the “without help” meaning explicit, add an intensifier: alveg sjálfur = entirely by himself.
How do I say the table itself (not the chairs)?
Use sjálft to agree with the neuter noun borð:
- Hann hreinsar sjálft borðið. = He cleans the table itself. Here sjálft modifies the object (neuter singular), not the subject.
What’s the past or perfect version of the sentence?
- Past: Hann hreinsaði borðið sjálfur. = He cleaned the table himself.
- Present perfect: Hann hefur hreinsað borðið sjálfur. = He has cleaned the table himself.
How would I say he is cleaning the table himself (right now)?
Icelandic often uses simple present for current actions, but you can use the progressive construction:
- Hann er að hreinsa borðið sjálfur.
Could I use þrífa instead of hreinsa?
Yes, commonly. þrífa often implies cleaning/doing a thorough clean or tidying:
- Hann þrífur borðið sjálfur. = He cleans the table himself. Note the irregular present: ég þríf, þú þrífur, hann þrífur; past: hann þreif.
How is the sentence pronounced?
Approximate English-friendly guide:
- Hann ≈ “hahnn” (clear h, double n)
- hreinsar ≈ “HRAYN-sar” (hr = voiceless r; ei ≈ ay)
- borðið ≈ “BORTH-ith” (ð ≈ th in this; final ð is voiced)
- sjálfur ≈ “SYOWL-vur” (sj ≈ sh; á ≈ ow in how; r is trilled)
Put together: “hahnn HRAYN-sar BORTH-ith SYOWL-vur.”