Breakdown of Strákurinn fleygir draslinu úr kassanum.
strákurinn
the boy
kassinn
the box
úr
out of
fleygja
to throw away
draslið
the junk
Questions & Answers about Strákurinn fleygir draslinu úr kassanum.
Why is draslinu in the dative case here instead of the accusative?
The verb fleygja (to throw) is a verb of manipulation. In Icelandic, when you move, throw, or steer an object, that object is usually put in the dative case rather than the accusative. Here, the boy is physically moving the junk, so the neuter noun drasl is conjugated in the dative.
Is there a difference between fleygja and henda?
Both mean to throw, and both take the dative case for the thing being thrown. Henda is the most common and general word for throwing something, while fleygja is often used specifically for throwing something away or discarding it, which fits perfectly here since the boy is dealing with junk.
Why does the definite form draslinu end in -inu?
Drasl (junk) is a neuter noun. To make it dative singular, you add -i, making it drasli. When you attach the neuter definite article to mean 'the junk', that -i ending merges with the article to form the familiar -inu suffix.
Is kassanum also in the dative case because the boy is manipulating the box?
No, the boy is only throwing the junk, not the box! Kassanum (the box) is in the dative case purely because it follows the preposition úr (out of). This preposition always forces the noun that immediately follows it into the dative case.
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