Learn Icelandic: Er þetta afleiðingin einna mistaka? - Is this the consequence of one mistake?

Er þetta afleiðingin einna mistaka?

Is this the consequence of one mistake?

Breakdown of Er þetta afleiðingin einna mistaka?

Questions & Answers about Er þetta afleiðingin einna mistaka?

Why is the plural form einna used here if the translation just says "one" mistake?

The Icelandic word for mistake, mistök, only exists in the plural form (it is a "plurale tantum"). Because the noun is grammatically plural, any word modifying it—even the number "one"—must also be plural. Einna is the genitive plural form of einn.

Why are einna and mistaka in the genitive case?

They are in the genitive case to show possession or origin, which translates into English as "of one mistake". In Icelandic, you often express "of [noun]" by placing that noun in the genitive case directly after the main noun (afleiðingin).

The dictionary form is mistök. Why does the vowel change to an 'a' in mistaka?

This is due to the genitive plural ending -a. The 'ö' in mistök is the result of a U-shift from an underlying 'a'. Whenever you add a grammatical ending that contains an 'a' (like the genitive plural -a), that U-shift is reversed, and the vowel reverts to an 'a'.

Could I use the word eins instead of einna here?

No, because eins is the genitive singular (masculine or neuter). Since mistök is strictly a plural noun, you must use the genitive plural form, which is einna.