Prepositions like yfir (over/above), undir (under), and fyrir (in front of) take the accusative case when describing movement to a destination.
When these same prepositions describe a static position—where something is resting, sitting, or hiding—the target noun switches to the dative case.
The Definite Dative
Notice how the attached definite article changes in the dative case for static locations:
| Gender | Definite Nominative | Definite Dative | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | vaskurinn (the sink) | vaskinum | undir vaskinum (under the sink) |
| Feminine | hurðin (the door) | hurðinni | undir hurðinni (under the door) |
| Neuter | teppið (the carpet) | teppinu | undir teppinu (under the carpet) |
Undir (under)
Observe the dative endings for undir (under) when a subject is staying in one place.
| Where is the rat? It is under the carpet. | Hvar er rottan? Hún er undir teppinu. |
| The spider is dangerous. It sits under the sink. | Kóngulóin er hættuleg. Hún situr undir vaskinum. |
Yfir (above)
When describing a static position rather than movement across something, yfir usually translates to "above".
| The fly is sitting above the hole. | Flugan situr yfir gatinu. |
Fyrir (in front of)
Similarly, fyrir followed by the dative describes an object resting "in front of" something. You will also see the preposition í (in) taking the dative for a static location (í skugganum).
| The rat stands in front of the hole in the shadow. | Rottan stendur fyrir gatinu í skugganum. |
Contrasting Position and Direction
Observe how the noun ending changes depending on whether the action involves movement (accusative) or resting in a fixed location (dative).
| The worm goes under the carpet, but the rat sleeps under the carpet. | Ormurinn fer undir teppið, en rottan sefur undir teppinu. |
| Do you see the shadow under the door? | Sérð þú skuggann undir hurðinni? |