Húsvörðurinn kemur og opnar póstlúguna þegar hún er föst.

The caretaker comes and opens the mail slot when it is stuck.

Breakdown of Húsvörðurinn kemur og opnar póstlúguna þegar hún er föst.

• vera: to be
• þegar: when
• koma: to come
• og: and

Questions & Answers about Húsvörðurinn kemur og opnar póstlúguna þegar hún er föst.

Why does húsvörður become húsvörðurinn?

The ending -inn is the suffixed definite article in Icelandic, equivalent to the in English.

So:

• húsvörður = a caretaker / janitor
• húsvörðurinn = the caretaker / the janitor

Icelandic usually adds the definite article to the end of the noun instead of putting a separate word in front, unlike English.

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Why is it póstlúguna and not just póstlúga?

There are two things happening here:

1. póstlúga means mail slot / letter flap
2. -na shows that it is:
   • definite: the mail slot
   • accusative singular feminine

It appears in the accusative because it is the direct object of opnar (opens).

So:

• póstlúga = a mail slot
• póstlúgan = the mail slot (nominative)
• póstlúguna = the mail slot (accusative)

Since the caretaker is opening the mail slot, Icelandic uses the object form póstlúguna.

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Why is hún used here? Does it mean she?