……
Questions & Answers about Háskólinn er í borginni.
Why is the article attached to the nouns in Háskólinn and borginni?
Icelandic uses a suffixed definite article rather than a separate word. The endings attach to the noun and combine with case endings:
- Masculine: -inn (e.g., háskóli → háskólinn “the university”)
- Feminine: -in, which merges with case (e.g., borg
- dative + -in → borginni “in the city”) There is no separate word for “the,” and there is no word for “a/an”; the bare noun is indefinite.
Which case is borginni, and why is that case used here?
Borginni is dative singular definite. The preposition í (“in/into”) takes:
- Dative for location (no movement): í borginni “in the city”
- Accusative for motion into: í borgina “into the city” Since the verb er (“is”) describes location, dative is required.
What is the difference between í borginni, í borgina, and í borg?
- í borginni = “in the city” (definite, dative, location)
- í borgina = “into the city” (definite, accusative, motion)
- í borg = “in a city” (indefinite, dative). Grammatically fine, but context determines whether an indefinite is natural.
What are the dictionary form and gender of borginni, and what are some key forms?
- Lemma: borg (“city”), feminine.
- Some key singular forms:
- Indefinite: nom borg, acc borg, dat borg, gen borgar
- Definite: nom borgin, acc borgina, dat borginni, gen borgarinnar
- Plural (indef.): nom/acc borgir, dat borgum, gen borga; definite plural dat = borgunum
Why does Háskólinn end in -inn, and what is the base form?
The base form is háskóli (masculine, “university”). The nominative singular definite adds -inn: háskóli → háskólinn. With other cases, the definite endings change: acc háskólann, dat háskólanum, gen háskólans.
What form of “to be” is er, and what happens with a plural subject?
Er is 3rd person singular present of vera (“to be”). With a plural subject you use eru:
- Singular: Háskólinn er í borginni.
- Plural: Háskólarnir eru í borginni.
Present-tense paradigm (useful reference):
- ég er, þú ert, hann/hún/það er, við erum, þið eruð, þeir/þær/þau eru
Can I change the word order to emphasize the location?
Yes. Icelandic main clauses are verb-second (V2). You can front the place phrase for emphasis:
- Í borginni er háskólinn. The verb er stays in second position, and this version highlights the location.
How do I ask “Is the university in the city?” or “Where is the university?”
- Yes–no question (verb-first): Er háskólinn í borginni?
- Wh-question: Hvar er háskólinn? (“Where is the university?”)
How do I negate the sentence?
Place ekki after the verb:
- Háskólinn er ekki í borginni. (“The university is not in the city.”)
When do I use í versus á for places?
- Í generally means “in/into” (inside boundaries): í borginni “in the city,” í húsi “in the house.”
- Á generally means “on/at,” often for surfaces, open areas, events, and many place names by convention (e.g., á Íslandi “in Iceland”). Which preposition a place name takes can be conventional, so learn it with the name. For “city,” the generic noun borg takes í for being “in” it.
How would I say “The university is in Reykjavík”?
Háskólinn er í Reykjavík. Proper place names usually don’t take a definite article. The case after í is still dative, though many proper names look unchanged in form.
Can I drop the definiteness like in English “at university/at college”?
Yes, Icelandic often uses an indefinite bare noun for that sense:
- Ég er í háskóla. = “I’m at university/college.” (generic, student status) In your sentence, Háskólinn er í borginni is specific (“the university … the city”). Háskóli er í borginni would mean “A university is in the city.”
How do I say “into the city” or “in the cities” (plural)?
- “into the city” = í borgina (accusative definite)
- “in the cities” = í borgunum (dative plural definite; indef. dative plural is í borgum)
Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- Stress is on the first syllable of words: HÁ-skó-linn; borg-IN-ni (secondary stress later).
- Vowels: á ~ “ow” in “cow” (long), ó ~ “oh” (long), í ~ “ee” (long as a separate word).
- Double consonants (like nn in borginni, háskólinn) are held a bit longer.
- sk is like “sk” in “skate.” The g in borginni is softened before i; many learners approximate it as a light “gy.” Hearing native audio will help most.
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 Háskólinn er í borginni 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