Breakdown of Einn kostur er verðið, en annar er þessi galli hérna.
vera
to be
en
but
einn
one
þessi
this (m/f)
hérna
here (colloquial, pointing)
annar
other, another; second
verðið
the price
kosturinn
the advantage
gallinn
the disadvantage
Questions & Answers about Einn kostur er verðið, en annar er þessi galli hérna.
Why does the sentence use einn ... annar instead of einn ... hinn?
Why is annar in the masculine form here when it stands alone without a noun?
Even though the noun is dropped in the second clause, annar acts as a pronoun referring back to the idea of a 'pro' or 'con' (kostur or galli). Since both of those are masculine nouns, annar must take the masculine nominative form to match.
Are kostur and galli typical opposites in Icelandic?
Yes! They are the standard words used to express 'pros and cons' (kostir og gallar) or 'advantages and disadvantages'. Kostur generally means a good quality or choice, while galli means a flaw, defect, or downside.
Why does the sentence say þessi galli hérna instead of just þessi galli?
Adding hérna (here) after a demonstrative pronoun like þessi (this) is a very common habit in conversational Icelandic. It emphasizes exactly which thing you are pointing out, translating nicely to 'this disadvantage right here'.
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