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Questions & Answers about Barnið elskar sig sjálft.
What does the ending -ið in barnið mean?
The ending -ið is the neuter singular definite article attached to the noun. So barn = “child” and barnið = “the child.” Here it’s in the nominative case as the subject of the sentence.
Why is it sig and not hann/hana/það?
sig is the third‑person reflexive object pronoun. It always refers back to the subject of the same clause (“the child loves itself”). To refer to someone/something else, you use the ordinary third‑person pronouns:
- hann = him (masc)
- hana = her (fem)
- það = it (neuter, some other thing, not the subject)
What does sjálft add? Can I just say “Barnið elskar sig”?
sjálft (from the adjective sjálfur) is an emphatic “self,” roughly like adding emphasis to “itself.”
- Barnið elskar sig = “The child loves itself.” (perfectly correct)
- Barnið elskar sig sjálft adds emphasis: “The child loves itself (itself).”
Why is it sjálft and not sjálfan or sjálfa?
Because sjálfur agrees with the referent in gender and number. Barn is a neuter noun, so you use the neuter form sjálft (accusative here, though neuter nom/acc look the same).
- Masc subject: Drengurinn elskar sjálfan sig.
- Fem subject: Stúlkan elskar sjálfa sig.
- Neuter subject: Barnið elskar sjálft sig / Barnið elskar sig sjálft.
Which case is sig here, and why?
sig is accusative, because elska “to love” takes an accusative object. The reflexive forms are:
- Accusative: sig
- Dative: sér
- Genitive: sín Example with another case: Hún hjálpar sér (“She helps herself,” dative because hjálpa governs dative). Another: Hún skammast sín (“She is ashamed of herself,” genitive).
Is the word order fixed? Can I say “sjálft sig” instead of “sig sjálft”?
Both orders occur: sjálfan/sjálfa/sjálft sig and sig sjálfan/sjálfa/sjálft. Many learners are taught the pattern with sjálf- before sig (e.g., að elska sjálfan/sjálfa/sjálft sig), but your sentence’s order (… sig sjálft) is also natural.
Can I drop sig and just say “Barnið elskar sjálft” to mean “The child loves itself”?
No. sjálft on its own emphasizes the subject (“the child itself”), not reflexivity.
- “The child loves itself” requires sig: Barnið elskar sig (sjálft).
- To emphasize the subject in another context: Barnið sjálft elskar köttinn (“The child itself loves the cat”).
How do I say “The children love themselves”?
- Without extra emphasis: Börnin elska sig.
- With emphasis: Börnin elska sig sjálf or Börnin elska sjálf sig (note plural neuter sjálf to match börnin).
How do I say “The child loves him/her/it (someone/something else)”?
- Barnið elskar hann = the child loves him (a male).
- Barnið elskar hana = the child loves her (a female).
- Barnið elskar það = the child loves it (some other neuter thing). These are non‑reflexive and do not refer back to the subject.
What’s the difference between sig and sinn (own)?
- sig = reflexive object pronoun (himself/herself/itself/themselves).
- sinn/sín/sitt = reflexive possessive “own,” agreeing with the possessed noun. Examples:
- Barnið elskar hundinn sinn = “The child loves its own dog.”
- Barnið elskar hundinn hans/hennar = “The child loves his/her (someone else’s) dog.”
Who does sig refer to in subordinate clauses?
sig refers to the subject of its own clause.
- Mamman sagði að barnið elskaði sig. → sig = the child (subject of the embedded clause).
- Barnið sagði að mamman elskaði sig. → sig = the mother (subject of the embedded clause).
What form is elskar, and how is elska conjugated?
elskar is present tense, 3rd person singular of að elska (“to love”).
- Present: ég elska, þú elskar, hann/hún/það elskar, við elskum, þið elskið, þeir/þær/þau elska
- Past (sg.): elskaði (e.g., Barnið elskaði sig = “The child loved itself”)
How do I say “I love myself” or “You love yourself” in Icelandic?
Use the regular object pronouns (reflexive is only for 3rd person):
- Ég elska mig (optionally add emphasis: Ég elska sjálfan/sjálfa mig, depending on your gender).
- Þú elskar þig (optionally: Þú elskar sjálfan/sjálfa þig).
Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- ð in barnið is like the “th” in “this.”
- sj in sjálft sounds like English “sh.”
- á in sjálft sounds like the “ow” in “cow.”
- Final g in sig is a soft, fricative sound (not a hard “g”).
- The cluster -lft in sjálft is fully pronounced; the l is voiceless.
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