Combining Direction and Position
In Icelandic, describing locations often involves combining a directional adverb (like upp, niður, or út) with a preposition (like í or á).
Motion vs. Location
When combining adverbs with prepositions like í (in/into) and á (on/onto):
- Motion towards: The adverb uses its action form, and the preposition takes the accusative case.
- Stationary location: The adverb uses its resting form (often ending in -i), and the preposition takes the dative case.
Down into vs. Down in
For "down":
- Motion: niður
- accusative
- Stationary: niðri
- dative
Notice the difference between falling down into a ravine (gilið) versus resting inside it:
| Yesterday, the boy fell down into the ravine. | Í gær hrapaði strákurinn niður í gilið. |
| Now he is lying down in the ravine and waiting. | Núna liggur hann niðri í gilinu og bíður. |
Out into vs. Out in
For "out", use út for motion and úti for a stationary location.
Entering a bog or mud uses út í (out into) or niður í (down into) with the accusative:
| We are wading out into the bog and sinking down into the mud. | Við vöðum út í mýrina og sökkvum niður í drulluna. |
If you are already stuck out in the bog, movement has stopped. Switch to úti and the dative:
| The car is stuck out in the bog because of the mud. | Bíllinn er fastur úti í mýrinni út af drullunni. |
This pattern applies to other natural features. Compare wading out into a brook versus sitting still out in the brushwood (kjarrið):
| The girl wades out into the brook. | Stelpan veður út í lækinn. |
| We are sitting out in the brushwood and looking at the brook. | Við sitjum úti í kjarrinu og horfum á lækinn. |
Up onto vs. Up on
When dealing with elevation, like a moor (heiðin) or a hill (hóllinn), "up" pairs with á (on/onto).
- Motion: upp
- accusative
- Stationary: uppi
- dative
Walking up onto the moor requires motion (upp + accusative):
| They walk up onto the moor and over the hill. | Þau labba upp á heiðina og yfir hólinn. |
A stationary location uses uppi + dative:
| The cabin is up on the moor, next to the hill. | Kofinn er uppi á heiðinni, við hliðina á hólnum. |