Breakdown of Þorpið er fyrir norðan fjallið.
vera
to be
fjallið
the mountain
þorpið
the village
fyrir
on the ... side of (with directional adverbs)
norðan
from the north
Questions & Answers about Þorpið er fyrir norðan fjallið.
Why use fyrir norðan instead of a single word for "north of"?
In Icelandic, compass directions relative to a landmark often use the preposition fyrir combined with a directional adverb ending in -an (like norðan, sunnan). Together, fyrir norðan translates to "north of" or "in the region north of."
What case does fyrir norðan force fjallið to be in?
These complex spatial prepositions (fyrir + an -an adverb) always trigger the accusative case. Because fjall (mountain) is a neuter word, its accusative form, fjallið (the mountain), looks exactly the same as its subject (nominative) form.
Doesn't the ending -an in norðan mean "from the north"?
Yes, on its own, an -an directional adverb indicates movement from that direction (like a wind blowing from the north). However, when paired with fyrir, it locks in a stationary meaning. The combination describes a fixed location relative to the landmark, rather than movement.
Is there another way to say this using just norður?
Yes, you can use norður af to mean "north of." If you do, remember that the preposition af requires the dative case, changing the sentence to Þorpið er norður af fjallinu. Both are correct, but fyrir norðan is very common when talking about broader geographical areas.
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