In this lesson, we cover vocabulary for accidents and emergencies. To describe circumstances, causes, and locations, we need a special group of prepositions that force the following noun into the genitive case.
Án (without)
The preposition án means "without". Like the other prepositions in this lesson, it requires the noun that follows it to be in the genitive. When talking about missing safety gear, we typically use the indefinite genitive form.
| Nominative | Genitive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hjálmur (a helmet) | hjálms | án hjálms (without a helmet) |
| bílbelti (a seatbelt) | bílbeltis | án bílbeltis (without a seatbelt) |
| He was cycling without a helmet. | Hann var að hjóla án hjálms. |
| You were driving without a seatbelt. | Þú varst að keyra án bílbeltis. |
Vegna (because of)
The preposition vegna translates to "because of" or "due to". When discussing specific, known things—like "the accident" or "the traffic"—you must use the definite genitive form of the noun.
| Definite Nominative | Definite Genitive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| slysið (the accident) | slyssins | vegna slyssins (because of the accident) |
| umferðin (the traffic) | umferðarinnar | vegna umferðarinnar (because of the traffic) |
| The traffic is heavy because of the accident. | Umferðin er mikil vegna slyssins. |
| We arrive late because of the traffic. | Við mætum seint vegna umferðarinnar. |
Milli (between)
The preposition milli means "between". Because you are usually between multiple things or people, it is most often followed by plural nouns or pronouns in the genitive.
For example, við (we) becomes okkar (us) in the genitive, and the definite plural sjúkrahúsin (the hospitals) becomes sjúkrahúsanna (using the standard -anna definite genitive plural suffix).
| The ambulance is driving between the hospitals. | Sjúkrabíllinn er að keyra milli sjúkrahúsanna. |
| The witness stands between us. | Vitnið stendur milli okkar. |