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Icelandic

### Formal Definite Articles

In everyday Icelandic, you make a noun definite by adding a suffix to the end of the word (for example, *kóróna* becomes *kórónan*). However, when reading plaques on a guided tour of a historic state building, you will encounter a more elevated, literary style.

In this formal style, Icelandic uses a free-standing definite article instead of a suffix. This construction is used when an adjective describes the noun, and it consists of three parts:
1. The formal definite article: *hinn* (masculine), *hin* (feminine), or *hið* (neuter).
2. A weak adjective (usually ending in *-i* for masculine, and *-a* for feminine and neuter).
3. A bare, indefinite noun (meaning the noun drops its usual definite suffix).

### Neuter and Feminine Forms

Let us look at how this works with the neuter article *hið* and the feminine article *hin*. Notice how the adjective ends in *-a* and the noun itself stands bare, without any article attached to the end.

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### The Masculine Form

For masculine nouns, the formal definite article is *hinn*. In the nominative case, the weak masculine adjective in this structure typically ends in *-i*.

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### Historic Plaques and Descriptions

You will see these formal constructions often on a museum tour, particularly when reading inscriptions (*áletrun*) or learning about remarkable figures from history. 

Even though the vocabulary and phrasing sound elevated, the sentence structure around it remains exactly the same as in everyday speech. You can use these subjects with the conjunctions, relative pronouns, and prepositions you already know.

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Formal definite articles (hinn, hin, hið)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

phrase

prep

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Presentative and the definite suffix (þetta er, -inn, -in, -ið)

Singular pronouns and to be (ég er, þú ert)

Singular adjective agreement

Yes/no questions (ert þú…?)

Basic negation (ekki)

Plural pronouns and to be (við erum, þeir eru)

Group 1 weak verbs (-ar)

Group 2 and 3 verbs (-ir, -ur)

Information questions (hvað, hver, hvar)

Expressing opinions (mér finnst, mér líkar)

Expressing desires (mig langar)

Numbers 1 to 10 (einn, tveir, þrír)

Direct objects on indefinite nouns

Direct objects on definite nouns

Singular object pronouns (mig, þig...)

Plural object pronouns (okkur, ykkur...)

Directional prepositions (um, í, á)

Verb-second word order

Expressing intentions (ætla að)

Needs and wants (þurfa, vilja)

Middle voice verbs (-st)

Possessive pronouns (minn, þinn)

Dative case with prepositions (í, á, frá)

Definite dative nouns (-num, -nni, -nu)

Dative personal pronouns (honum, henni, þeim)

Plural nouns (-ar, -ir, -ur)

Definite plural nouns (-nir, -nar, -in)

Accusative plural nouns

Number agreement 1 to 4 (einn, tveir…)

Singular commands

Past tense of the verb to be (var, vorum)

Present continuous (vera að)

Strong verbs in the present tense

Weather and dummy subjects (það)

Invariable possessive pronouns (hans, hennar, þeirra)

Accusative possessives (minn, þinn)

Accompaniment (með)

Dative plural (-um, -unum)

Compound sentences (og, en, eða)

"This" in the nominative (þessi, þessi, þetta)

"This" in the accusative (þennan, þessa, þetta)

Accusative adjectives (-an, -a, -t)

Numbers 1 to 4 in the accusative (einn, tvo, þrjá)

Third-person reflexive pronouns (sig, sér)

The preposition "to" with the genitive (til)

Subordinating conjunctions (að, af því að)

Simple past of weak verbs (-aði)

Question words (hvernig, hvaða)

Physical possession (vera með)

Abstract possession (hafa)

Telling time (hálf, korter)

Plural commands (-ið)

The simple past tense (-di, -ti, -ði)

Possessive noun endings (-s, -ar)

Days of the week (á mánudaginn, á mánudögum)

Kveðjur — greetings (halló, bless)

Um mig — where I am from

Kurteisi — please, sorry, congratulations

Ability and knowing how (kunna að)

Permission (mega)

Obligation (eiga að)

Plural strong verbs

Numbers 11 to 20 (ellefu, tólf...)

Counting by tens to 100 (þrjátíu, fjörutíu...)

Ordinal numbers 1st to 10th (fyrsti, annar...)

All / everything / everyone (allur)

The indefinite pronoun someone (einhver)

The indefinite pronoun no one (enginn)

Compound numbers from 21 (tuttugu og)

This in the dative singular (þessum, þessari, þessu)

These in the dative plural (þessum)

My and your in the dative (mínum, þínum)

Numbers 1 to 4 in the dative (einum, tveimur)

Adjectives in the dative singular (-um, -ri, -u)

Adjectives in the dative plural (-um)

Reflexive possessive in the accusative (sinn, sína, sitt)

Reflexive possessive in the dative (sínum, sinni)

Reflexive versus regular possessives (sinn, hans)

Demonstrative plural (þessir, þessar, þessi)

Definite genitive singular (-sins, -arinnar)

Indefinite genitive plural (-a)

Definite genitive plural (-anna)

Genitive prepositions (án, milli, vegna)

Prepositions of direction (yfir, undir, fyrir)

Prepositions of static location (yfir, undir, fyrir)

Question	Answer
the (formal definite article)	hinn
magnificent	stórfenglegur
The magnificent state is very old.	Hið stórfenglega ríki er mjög gamalt.
majestic	tignarlegur
the crown	kórónan
The majestic crown is very beautiful.	Hin tignarlega kóróna er mjög falleg.
remarkable	merkur
the founder	stofnandinn
The remarkable founder appeared yesterday.	Hinn merki stofnandi birtist í gær.
the plaque	skjöldurinn
The remarkable plaque that I look at is new.	Hinn merki skjöldur sem ég horfi á er nýr.
the guided tour	leiðsögnin
The magnificent guided tour is very interesting.	Hin stórfenglega leiðsögn er mjög áhugaverð.
the inscription	áletrunin
The majestic inscription that we talk about is old.	Hin tignarlega áletrun sem við tölum um er gömul.
the president	forsetinn
The remarkable president and the founder met.	Hinn merki forseti og stofnandinn hittust.
The magnificent founder looks at the inscription.	Hinn stórfenglegi stofnandi horfir á áletrunina.
The remarkable guided tour changed yesterday.	Hin merka leiðsögn breyttist í gær.
The majestic crown is in the museum.	Hin tignarlega kóróna er í safninu.
The magnificent president that I wait for is here.	Hinn stórfenglegi forseti sem ég bíð eftir er hér.
The majestic president reads the plaque.	Hinn tignarlegi forseti les skjöldinn.