Questions & Answers about Vinnufélagi minn hringir í hádeginu.
Why is the possessive after the noun in vinnufélagi minn instead of before it (like “my coworker”)?
In Icelandic, possessive pronouns usually follow the noun: vinnufélagi minn literally “coworker my.” Preposing the possessive (minn vinnufélagi) is possible but marked or stylistic and much less common in everyday speech. Stick with noun + possessive.
Should it be vinnufélagi minn or vinnufélaginn minn? What’s the difference?
Both are grammatical, but they differ in nuance:
- vinnufélagi minn often feels like “a coworker of mine” (one among several).
- vinnufélaginn minn points to a specific coworker the speaker assumes you can identify (“my coworker, the one you know about”). In many contexts either works; choose based on how specific you want to be.
What does í hádeginu literally mean, and why the -inu ending?
It’s “in/at the noon,” i.e., “at noon” or “around lunchtime.”
- í governs the dative when expressing static location/time.
- hádegi is a neuter noun “noon.”
- hádeginu is the dative singular with the definite article: hádegi + -nu → “the noon.”
Could I say í hádegi without the article?
You’ll most often hear í hádeginu. Without the article () is uncommon in modern usage. If you want to avoid the article, a natural alternative is the adverbial form (“at/about noon”).