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Breakdown of Bakaríið selur ost, skinku og tómata.
og
and
selja
to sell
bakaríið
the bakery
osturinn
the cheese
skinkan
the ham
tómaturinn
the tomato
Questions & Answers about Bakaríið selur ost, skinku og tómata.
What does the ending in Bakaríið mean, and why are there two i’s?
The ending -ið is the suffixed definite article for neuter nouns in the nominative/accusative singular. So bakarí + ið → bakaríið, meaning the bakery. Because the base word ends in -í, adding -ið creates íi. Pronunciation has a slight glide between the vowels; stress stays on the first syllable of the word.
Why is it selur and not selja?
Selja is the infinitive “to sell.” Selur is the 3rd person singular present: “(it) sells.” Mini present indicative:
- ég sel
- þú selur
- hann/hún/það selur
- við seljum
- þið seljið
- þeir/þær/þau selja
What case are ost, skinku, and tómata, and how do you know?
They’re in the accusative because selja takes a direct object.
- ostur (m.) → accusative singular: ost
- skinka (f.) → accusative singular: skinku
- tómatur (m.) → accusative plural: tómata (accusative singular would be tómat)
Why does skinku end in -u?
Many feminine nouns ending in -a take -u in all the singular oblique cases (accusative, dative, genitive). So skinka → accusative singular skinku.
Why is tómata plural but ost and skinku singular?
It’s natural variation between count and mass nouns:
- ost (cheese) and skinka (ham) are often treated as mass nouns in this context, so singular works as “cheese/ham.”
- tómatar (tomatoes) are usually sold as individual items, so plural tómata makes sense. You could pluralize the others to talk about discrete pieces/types: osta (cheeses), skinkur (hams), but that suggests multiple kinds or units.
Why is there no word for “a/some” before the foods?
Icelandic has no indefinite article. Bare nouns cover the English idea of “a/some” here. If you want to emphasize quantity or indefiniteness, you can use words like einhver(n) (some) or smá (a bit of): e.g., selur smá ost.
What would the sentence look like with definite objects (the cheese, the ham, the tomatoes)?
Bakaríið selur ostinn, skinkuna og tómatana.
- ostinn = the cheese (acc. sg. definite)
- skinkuna = the ham (acc. sg. definite)
- tómatana = the tomatoes (acc. pl. definite)
Do I need a comma before og (the “Oxford comma”)?
No. Icelandic normally does not use a comma before og in simple lists: ost, skinku og tómata is standard.
Can I repeat og between all the items?
Yes, for emphasis or stylistic effect: ost og skinku og tómata. The normal, neutral style uses og only before the last item.
How do I pronounce Bakaríið?
- Stress the first syllable: BA-ka-rí-ið.
- í is a long “ee.”
- The sequence íi is pronounced with a slight glide.
- ð is like the English “th” in “this,” though it can be quite soft.
How do I make a yes/no question from this sentence?
Invert the verb and subject: Selur bakaríið ost, skinku og tómata?
Where does negation go?
After the finite verb: Bakaríið selur ekki ost, skinku eða tómata. (You can also use né for “nor” in more formal or careful style: ekki ost, skinku né tómata.)
What are the genders of these nouns?
- bakarí: neuter
- ostur: masculine
- skinka: feminine
- tómatur: masculine Knowing gender helps you predict endings and agreement.
How would adjectives agree with the nouns in this sentence?
Adjectives must match case, number, and gender:
- ferskan ost (fresh cheese; masc. acc. sg.)
- reykta skinku (smoked ham; fem. acc. sg.)
- rauða tómata (red tomatoes; masc. acc. pl.) So: Bakaríið selur ferskan ost, reytta skinku og rauða tómata.
Can I say Bakarí selur… without the definite ending?
Yes, but it changes the meaning:
- Bakaríið selur… = a specific bakery (the bakery) sells…
- Bakarí selur… = a generic statement about what a bakery typically sells, or “a bakery sells…”.
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