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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 -nar → r
- 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.
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