Breakdown of Þrennir skór eru í kassanum.
vera
to be
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
kassinn
the box
skórinn
the shoe
þrennir
three pairs of / three (distributive)
Questions & Answers about Þrennir skór eru í kassanum.
Why do we use þrennir instead of the regular number three (þrír)?
Because shoes come in pairs. Icelandic uses a special set of numbers called distributive numerals (einir, tvennir, þrennir, fernir) when counting items that naturally come in pairs (like shoes, gloves, or ski poles), as well as for words that are always plural. If you used the regular number and said þrír skór, you would be saying there are exactly three individual shoes in the box, not three pairs!
How do I know which ending to put on þrennir?
Just like regular adjectives, distributive numerals have to agree with the noun's gender and case. The word skór is masculine, and in this sentence, it is the subject (nominative case). Therefore, you need the masculine nominative plural form, which is þrennir.
Doesn't skór mean "a shoe" in the singular? How can we tell it is plural here?
Yes, skór is one of those tricky masculine nouns where the nominative singular and the nominative plural are spelled exactly the same. However, the rest of the sentence gives it away: the verb eru (are) is plural, and the number þrennir is a plural form.
Why is the box kassanum rather than kassinn?
The preposition í (in) triggers the dative case when it describes a stationary location (where something currently is, rather than where it is moving to). Kassi (a box) is a masculine noun, so in the dative case with the attached definite article ("the"), it becomes kassanum.
Learn Þrennir skór eru í kassanum and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free