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Questions & Answers about Bankakortið er í veskinu.
What does the ending -ið on the word bankakortið mean?
It’s the suffixed definite article for a neuter singular noun. So bankakort + -ið = bankakortið = “the bank card.” The base word is bankakort (“bank card,” neuter).
Why is it veskinu and not veskið?
Because í (“in”) takes the dative for location. Veskinu is the dative singular definite of the neuter noun veski.
- Location: í veskinu = “in the wallet” (dative)
- Motion into: í veskið = “into the wallet” (accusative)
When does í take dative vs. accusative?
- Static location (where?): dative. Example: Kortið er í veskinu.
- Motion/direction (into/onto): accusative. Example: Ég set kortið í veskið. (“I put the card into the wallet.”)
What are the genders of bankakort and veski?
Both bankakort and veski are neuter nouns. That’s why the definite forms are bankakortið (nom/acc sg.) and veskinu (dat sg. definite).
What is the banka- part in bankakort?
It’s a compound: banki (“bank”) + genitive singular banka + kort (“card”) → bankakort (“bank card”). Using the genitive of the first noun is a common way to form compounds in Icelandic.
Can I front the prepositional phrase? Is “Í veskinu er bankakortið” correct?
Yes. Icelandic is a verb-second (V2) language. If you front Í veskinu, the finite verb er must be second: Í veskinu er bankakortið. Both orders are natural; the fronted version emphasizes the location.
How do I say the sentence in the negative?
Place ekki after the verb: Bankakortið er ekki í veskinu.
How do I say “There is a bank card in the wallet” (indefinite)?
Use the existential construction with an indefinite subject: Það er bankakort í veskinu.
For plural: Það eru bankakort í veskinu.
How do I add “my” (possessives) correctly?
Two common ways:
- Bankakortið mitt er í veskinu. (“my bank card”)
- Bankakortið er í veskinu mínu. (“my wallet”)
Note agreement: mitt (neuter nominative singular) with bankakortið; mínu (neuter dative singular) with veskinu.
Why not use á instead of í?
Á usually means “on (top of).” Í means “in/inside.”
- Bankakortið er í veskinu = in the wallet.
- Bankakortið er á borðinu = on the table.
How would I talk about multiple cards?
Use the plural: Bankakortin eru í veskinu. (“The bank cards are in the wallet.”)
Indefinite plural: Bankakort eru í veskinu.
How do I ask, “Where is the bank card?”
Hvar er bankakortið?
Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- í is a long “ee” sound.
- In banka-, the nk is pronounced like “ngk”: roughly “BANG-ka.”
- sk before i/e/y is palatalized; veski sounds like “VESH-ki,” so veskinu ~ “VESH-ki-nu.”
- The ð in -ið is the voiced “th” of “this,” especially audible before a following vowel (as in kortið er).
- Main stress is on the first syllable of each word.
How would I express motion into the wallet in the past?
Ég setti bankakortið í veskið. (“I put the bank card into the wallet.”) Note accusative veskið for motion.
Is -ið always the neuter definite ending?
For neuter nouns ending in a consonant, the nominative/accusative singular definite typically takes -ið (e.g., kortið, veskið, barnið → actually “barnið” follows the same pattern). If the noun ends in a vowel, you’ll often see -ð (e.g., auga → augað). Dative singular definite commonly ends in -inu (e.g., veskinu, kortinu).