Questions & Answers about Við heimsækjum frænku okkar þegar við förum í frí.
What does frænku mean, exactly? Does it just mean aunt?
Frænka is a feminine family term that covers several English words:
- aunt (father’s or mother’s sister, or aunt by marriage)
- niece
- female cousin
In this sentence, frænku could be our aunt, our niece, or our (female) cousin, and context would normally make it clear which one is meant.
Why is it frænku and not frænka?
Frænka is a feminine noun. Its singular forms are:
- Nominative: frænka (subject)
- Accusative: frænku (direct object)
- Dative: frænku
- Genitive: frænku
In the sentence, frænku is the direct object of the verb heimsækjum (we visit), so it must be in the accusative case, hence frænku, not frænka.
Why is okkar placed after frænku instead of before it, like in English?
Icelandic usually puts possessive pronouns after the noun:
- frænka okkar – our aunt
- bílinn minn – my car
- húsið þeirra –