Choosing Between Two Options
Welcome to the game show! When you have exactly two options and need to refer to "either" one of them (or "one of the two"), you use the dual pronoun annar hvor.
| one of two / either (pronoun) | annar hvor |
A unique quirk of annar hvor is that both halves of the phrase decline. They must both agree in gender and case with the noun they describe. Notice how both words change when shifting from the nominative (subject) to the accusative (object):
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | annar hvor | önnur hvor | annað hvort |
| Accusative | annan hvorn | aðra hvora | annað hvort |
For a feminine noun like hurð (door), the accusative form is aðra hvora:
| The rule of the game is to choose either door. | Leikreglan er að velja aðra hvora hurðina. |
For a masculine noun like kassi (box), the accusative becomes annan hvorn:
| It is possible to put the main prize under either box. | Það er hægt að setja aðalvinninginn undir annan hvorn kassann. |
And when a preposition requires a different case altogether, like the dative, both parts change yet again (such as the feminine dative annarri hvorri):
| The television studio celebrates the reveal of either door. | Sjónvarpssalurinn fagnar afhjúpuninni á annarri hvorri hurðinni. |
Neither Option
If neither option is good and you need to say "neither," use the pronoun hvorugur.
| He can choose either option, but neither is safe. | Hann getur valið annan hvorn valkostinn, en hvorugur er öruggur. |
The Price of Playing
Game shows are full of tension. When the main prize is hidden behind a mysterious door, it is completely natural to feel some choice anxiety (valkvíði).
| Do you know what mystery causes this choice anxiety? | Veistu hvaða leyndardómur veldur þessum valkvíða? |
Choose wisely! If your luck runs out, you might just leave the studio empty-handed (tómhentur).
| If the luck is bad, the contestant goes home empty-handed. | Ef lukkan er slæm fer keppandinn tómhentur heim. |