Ég set buxurnar í skápinn.

Breakdown of Ég set buxurnar í skápinn.

ég
I
setja
to put
í
in
buxurnar
the pants
skápinn
the closet
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Questions & Answers about Ég set buxurnar í skápinn.

Why is buxurnar plural, and what is the -nar ending?
  • buxur means pants/trousers and is a plural-only noun (like English pants). There is no singular form for one pair.
  • buxurnar = the pants (definite plural). The ending -nar is the feminine plural definite ending.
  • Here it’s also in the accusative case, but for feminine plural, nominative and accusative look the same: buxur (indef.) / buxurnar (def.).
Why is it í skápinn and not í skápnum?
  • The preposition í takes:
    • Accusative for motion into: í skápinn (into the closet).
    • Dative for location in: í skápnum (in the closet).
  • Your sentence describes movement into, so accusative (skápinn) is required.
Why is the article attached to the noun (no separate “the”)?

Icelandic uses a suffixed definite article:

  • skápur = closet (indef.)
  • skápurinn = the closet (nom. def.)
  • skápinn = the closet (acc. def.)
  • buxur = pants (indef.)
  • buxurnar = the pants (def.)
Why is it ég set and not ég setur?

Verb: að setja (to put). Present tense:

  • ég set
  • þú setur
  • hann/hún/það setur
  • við setjum
  • þið setjið
  • þeir/þær/þau setja First-person singular often has no ending. Past: ég setti.
How do I say this in the past, progressive, or future?
  • Past: Ég setti buxurnar í skápinn.
  • Progressive (ongoing): Ég er að setja buxurnar í skápinn.
  • Future/intention: Ég mun setja or Ég ætla að setja buxurnar í skápinn.
Can I add inn and say inn í skápinn?

Yes. Inn í emphasizes movement inward. Both are fine:

  • Ég set buxurnar í skápinn.
  • Ég set buxurnar inn í skápinn.
Is setja always the right verb here? What about other options?
  • setja = put/place (neutral and very common).
  • hengja = hang: Ég hengi buxurnar í skápinn (if on a hanger).
  • leggja = lay: Ég legg buxurnar í skápinn (folded on a shelf).
  • “Put away” idiomatically: Ég geng frá buxunum (I put the pants away).
How do I say “I put the pants on” (put on clothing)?

Use verbs for dressing, not setja:

  • Ég fer í buxurnar.
  • Ég klæði mig í buxur.
  • “I wear pants”: Ég klæðist buxum.
Can I change the word order, e.g., Ég set í skápinn buxurnar?

Default is subject–verb–object–place: Ég set buxurnar í skápinn.

  • You can front elements for emphasis: Í skápinn set ég buxurnar, or Buxurnar set ég í skápinn, but this is marked/focused speech. The given order is the most neutral.
What are the genders of buxur and skápur, and how do pronouns refer back to them?
  • buxur is feminine plural → refer with þær (they, fem. pl.).
    • Example: Ég set þær í skápinn.
  • skápur is masculine singular → refer with hann (he/it, masc.).
    • Example: Settu buxurnar í hann.
Why does skápinn have double n, and what’s happening in buxurnar?
  • skápinn = skáp (acc. sg.) + the definite suffix -inn → double n appears.
  • buxurnar = buxur (pl.) + the definite suffix -narr
    • nar becomes rnar.
How do the cases of buxur look in the plural?
  • Nom./Acc.: buxur (indef.), buxurnar (def.)
  • Dat.: buxum (indef.), buxunum (def.)
  • Gen.: buxna (indef.), buxnanna (def.)
Is Ég always capitalized like English “I”?
No. ég is lowercase in the middle of a sentence. It’s capitalized here only because it starts the sentence. English “I” is always capitalized; Icelandic ég isn’t.
Any quick pronunciation tips?
  • Ég ≈ “yeh” (the g is a soft “gh” or silent).
  • set = like English “set” (short e).
  • buxurnar ≈ “BUK-suhr-nar” (u like in “put”, x = ks).
  • í = “ee” (long i).
  • skápinn ≈ “SKAUP-in” (á = “ow” as in “cow”). Primary stress is on the first syllable of each word.
Can I make the closet indefinite (like “into a closet”)?
Yes: í skáp (acc. sg. indef.). But in everyday contexts you usually mean a specific, known closet, so í skápinn (definite) is more common.