Question 1

Why is it ömmu and not amma?

Accepted Answer

Because it’s in the accusative case. The verb heimsækja (to visit) takes a direct object in the accusative, so feminine noun amma becomes ömmu. The vowel change (a → ö) is a regular pattern in oblique cases.
- Nominative: amma (subject)
- Accusative: ömmu (direct object)
- Dative: ömmu
- Genitive: ömmu

Question 2

Why is it mína and not mín?

Accepted Answer

Possessive pronouns agree with the noun in gender, number, and case. Ömmu is feminine accusative singular, so the correct form is mína.
- Masculine: minn (nom)
- Feminine: mín (nom), but accusative singular is mína
- Neuter: mitt (nom/acc)

Question 3

Does Icelandic use articles here? Why no “the” or “a” in ömmu mína?

Accepted Answer

Icelandic has no separate word for the indefinite article “a.” The definite article is a suffix on the noun (e.g., ömmuna = “the grandmother”). With a possessive like mín, you normally do not add the definite suffix: say ömmu mína, not “ömmuna mína.”

Question 4

Why is it á sunnudag and not á sunnudaginn?

Accepted Answer

Both are possible:
- á sunnudag = “on Sunday” (neutral)
- á sunnudaginn = “on Sunday” (often a particular/upcoming Sunday)
For habitual action: á sunnudögum = “on Sundays.”
The preposition á takes the accusative for a specific point in time, hence sunnudag (acc. sg.) and sunnudaginn (definite acc. sg.).

Question 5

How can present tense mean the future (Icelandic heimsæki)?

Accepted Answer

Icelandic commonly uses the present tense with a time expression to talk about the future. Ég heimsæki ömmu mína á sunnudag = “I will visit my grandmother on Sunday.” You can also use mun for future (e.g., Ég mun heimsækja…), but plain present + time phrase is very common and neutral.

Question 6

Why does heimsækja end in -i here: heimsæki?

Accepted Answer

That’s the 1st person singular present ending. A quick present overview:
- ég heimsæki
- þú heimsækir
- hann/hún heimsækir
- við heimsækjum
- þið heimsækið
- þeir/þær/þau heimsækja

Question 7

Why is it just afi and not afi minn (“my grandfather”)?

Accepted Answer

For close family members, Icelandic often uses the bare kinship noun in contexts where English would say “my …”. So afi here naturally means “Grandpa (of mine).” If you need to be explicit, you can say afi minn.

Question 8

Why is it segir and not segi?

Accepted Answer

Because afi is third person singular. Present tense of segja (to say/tell):
- ég segi
- þú segir
- hann/hún segir
- við segjum
- þið segið
- þeir/þær/þau segja

Question 9

Why is it góða sögu and not góð sögu or góða söguna?

Accepted Answer

- With an indefinite noun, adjectives take strong endings. Feminine accusative singular of góður is góða: hence góða sögu = “a good story.”
- If you mean “the good story,” use the definite form on the noun and the weak adjective: góðu söguna (standard). You may hear góða söguna colloquially, but standard grammar prefers góðu there.

Question 10

Why is it sögu and not saga?

Accepted Answer

Because it’s the direct object (accusative) of segir. Feminine noun saga declines to sögu in the accusative (and other oblique cases). The vowel change a → ö is regular here.

Question 11

Does á sunnudag modify both clauses or just the first?

Accepted Answer

As written, it most naturally modifies only the first clause (“I visit my grandmother on Sunday”). If you want it to clearly apply to both, either move it to the front or repeat it:
- Á sunnudag heimsæki ég ömmu mína og afi segir góða sögu.
- Or: … á sunnudag, og afi segir á sunnudag góða sögu.
Adding þá (“then”) also helps: … og afi segir þá góða sögu.

Question 12

Why is there no comma before og?

Accepted Answer

Modern Icelandic punctuation generally does not place a comma before coordinating og (“and”) that links two main clauses, unless there’s a special reason (e.g., to avoid ambiguity). So the sentence is correctly punctuated without a comma.

Question 13

Can I start the sentence with the time phrase?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but remember Icelandic is verb-second (V2) in main clauses. So:
- Á sunnudag heimsæki ég ömmu mína og afi segir góða sögu.
(Time phrase first; the finite verb heimsæki must be the second element.)

Question 14

Why isn’t “I” capitalized in Icelandic, and why isn’t Sunday capitalized?

Accepted Answer

The pronoun ég (“I”) is not capitalized in Icelandic (unless it begins a sentence). Days of the week like sunnudagur are also not capitalized.

Question 15

Where does negation go? How would I say “I’m not visiting my grandmother on Sunday”?

Accepted Answer

Place ekki after the finite verb:
- Ég heimsæki ekki ömmu mína á sunnudag.
For the second clause: Afi segir ekki góða sögu.

Question 16

Should I use mín or sín with family words?

Accepted Answer

Use mín for “my.” The reflexive sín is only for third person referring back to the subject of its clause, e.g., Hann heimsækir ömmu sína (“He visits his own grandmother”). You would not say Ég heimsæki ömmu sína for “I visit my grandmother.”

Question 17

Can the possessive go before the noun (like “my grandma”)?

Accepted Answer

Normally the possessive follows the noun: ömmu mína. It can come before for emphasis or in certain stylized phrases, especially when another adjective is present: mín kæra amma (“my dear grandmother”). For neutral style, stick to noun + possessive.

Question 18

Is “tell a story” always segja sögu in Icelandic?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the idiomatic expression is að segja sögu (“to tell a story”). So afi segir góða sögu is the natural way to say “Grandpa tells a good story.”

Question 19

Which preposition do I use for other time words: á or í?

Accepted Answer

- Days and many holidays: á (+ acc for specific times): á sunnudag, á mánudaginn, á páskum (note: some holidays vary).
- Months, seasons, years: typically í: í janúar, í vetur, í 2025.

Ég heimsæki ömmu mína á sunnudag og afi segir góða sögu.

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