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Bakaríið selur ost, skinku og tómata.

Bakaríið selur ost, skinku og tómata.
The bakery sells cheese, ham, and tomatoes.
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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…”.