Flea markets and antique stalls are great places to practice negotiating and pointing things out.
| The people sell many used things at the market. | Fólkið selur marga notaða hluti á markaðnum. |
| I see no price tag, can we haggle? | Ég sé engan verðmiða, getum við prúttað? |
Saying "This One"
In English, when you want to point something out without repeating the noun, you usually add the filler word "one"—as in, "I like this big one."
Icelandic doesn't use a filler word like "one". Instead, you simply drop the noun completely and let the adjective stand on its own!
When an adjective follows a pointing word like þessi (this), it takes its "weak" ending. To say "this big one", you just say þessi plus the weak adjective. The adjective still must match the gender of the hidden noun:
- Masculine: þessi gamli (this old one)
- Feminine: þessi stóra (this big one)
- Neuter: þetta dýra (this expensive one)
Notice in the examples below how the adjective's gender clearly refers back to the noun mentioned in the previous sentence.
| Which stall at the market is best? This old one. | Hvaða sölubás á markaðnum er bestur? Þessi gamli. |
| Which bag is used? This big one has a price tag. | Hvaða taska er notuð? Þessi stóra hefur verðmiða. |
| Is the chair genuine? This rare one costs a lot. | Er stóllinn ekta? Þessi sjaldgæfi kostar mikið. |
If you are pointing at an object without naming it first, or referring to a neuter noun, you use the neuter form (þetta).
| This expensive one is beautiful, can I haggle with the seller? | Þetta dýra er fallegt, get ég prúttað við seljandann? |