Hann kaupir sér kaffi í búðinni.

he

Breakdown of Hann kaupir sér kaffi í búðinni.

• kaupa: to buy
• búðin: the store
• í: at

Questions & Answers about Hann kaupir sér kaffi í búðinni.

Why is it Hann and not Hann er (or some other word order) at the start?

Icelandic is a verb-second (V2) language in main clauses: the finite verb typically comes in the second position.

• Hann kaupir ... = subject (1st) + verb (2nd)
  If you start with something else, the verb still stays second:
• Í dag kaupir hann sér kaffi í búðinni. (Today, he buys himself coffee in the shop.)

What does sér do here, and why isn’t it just kaff i without it?

sér is a reflexive pronoun meaning something like for himself / to himself, showing the purchase benefits the subject.

• Hann kaupir kaffi. = He buys coffee. (neutral statement)
• Hann kaupir sér kaffi. = He buys himself coffee. (he’s buying it for his own use)

Why is it sér and not sig?

Because different verbs/prepositions require different cases. Here, kaupa (að kaupa) with this “for oneself” meaning takes a dative reflexive: sér.

• sig is accusative, used in other patterns (often after certain verbs/prepositions).
  So it’s about case selection, not a free choice.