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Questions & Answers about Skyrtan hans er hrein.
What does the ending in the word skyrtan mean?
The -n at the end is the definite article attached to the noun. The base word is skyrta (shirt, feminine). With the suffixed definite article it becomes skyrtan = the shirt. Icelandic typically attaches “the” to the end of nouns rather than using a separate word.
Why does hans come after the noun (skyrtan hans) instead of before it?
In Icelandic, possessives usually follow the noun: skyrtan hans, bíllinn minn (my car), húsið þeirra (their house). The third-person possessive forms hans/hennar/þeirra are genitives that come after the noun in normal, neutral style.
Do I have to use the definite article with hans? What’s the difference between skyrtan hans and skyrta hans?
- skyrtan hans = his (specific/known) shirt — the one we have in mind.
- skyrta hans = a shirt of his (non-specific, one of his shirts).
So the article marks specificity/definiteness, not possession itself.
Can I say hans skyrta?
It’s possible but marked: fronting hans before the noun is literary/archaic or for special emphasis. In everyday Icelandic, stick with skyrtan hans.
Why is the adjective hrein feminine? Shouldn’t it match the masculine possessor (hans)?
Adjectives agree with the noun they describe, not with the possessor. Skyrta is feminine, so the predicate adjective is feminine:
- masculine: hreinn (e.g., bíllinn er hreinn)
- feminine: hrein (e.g., skyrtan er hrein)
- neuter: hreint (e.g., húsið er hreint)
Why is it hrein and not hreina?
Because the adjective is predicative (after “to be”). Predicative adjectives use the strong endings: hrein (fem. nom. sg.). The weak form hreina is used for attributive adjectives with definite nouns, e.g.:
- hrein skyrta = a clean shirt (strong)
- hreina skyrtan = the clean shirt (weak + definite noun) But: Skyrtan er hreina is incorrect.
What case is skyrtan in here?
Nominative. It’s the subject of er (is), and the predicate adjective hrein also appears in nominative to agree with it.
How does skyrta decline? (Just the most useful forms)
Singular:
- Indefinite: nom skyrta, acc/dat/gen skyrtu
- Definite: nom skyrtan, acc skyrtuna, dat skyrtunni, gen skyrtunnar
Plural:
- Indefinite: nom skyrtur
- Definite: nom skyrturnar
How would I say “His shirts are clean”?
- Specific/known set: Skyrturnar hans eru hreinar.
- Non-specific (“some of his shirts”): Skyrtur hans eru hreinar.
Note the feminine plural agreement on the adjective: hreinar.
How do I change “his” to “her” or “their”?
- Her: Skyrtan hennar er hrein.
- Their: Skyrtan þeirra er hrein.
These possessives also follow the noun. They don’t change form for case in this use.
When do I use the reflexive possessive sinn/sín/sitt instead of hans?
Use sinn/sín/sitt when the possessor is the subject of the same clause:
- Hann þvoði skyrtuna sína. = He washed his (own) shirt.
- Hann þvoði skyrtuna hans. = He washed his (someone else’s) shirt. In the sentence Skyrtan hans er hrein, there’s no third-person subject to trigger the reflexive, so hans is the right choice.
Can I front the adjective for emphasis, like “Clean is his shirt”?
Yes, but it’s stylistic/poetic: Hrein er skyrtan hans. Normal word order is Skyrtan hans er hrein.
How do I negate it or make a yes–no question?
- Negation: Skyrtan hans er ekki hrein.
- Question: Er skyrtan hans hrein?
Any quick pronunciation tips?
- skyrtan: stress on the first syllable; y sounds like English short i; roughly “SKIR-tan.”
- hans: “hans,” with a clear h.
- er: like “ehr” [ɛr].
- hrein: initial hr is a voiceless r; ei like English “ay”: roughly “hr-ayn.”
Overall: “SKIR-tan hans ehr hr-AYN.”