Breakdown of Strákurinn heyrir hóstann niðri.
strákurinn
the boy
heyra
to hear
niðri
downstairs / down (location)
hóstinn
the cough
Questions & Answers about Strákurinn heyrir hóstann niðri.
Why does the word for cough end in -ann here?
The verb heyra (to hear) requires its object to be in the accusative case. The base word for a cough is hósti, which is a weak masculine noun. In the accusative, it changes to hósta. When we add the accusative masculine definite article -nn to mean 'the cough', the final word is hóstann.
Why use niðri for downstairs instead of niður?
In Icelandic, directional adverbs change based on whether there is movement toward a destination or if something is already located there. You use niður for downward motion, like walking down the stairs. You use niðri for a stationary location. Here, the cough is just happening down there without any downward movement, so it takes the stationary form.
Could we use the lesson's grammar point and say hóstinn í honum if we wanted to specify it was his cough?
Usually, you would just say hóstinn hans (his cough). The structure using a definite noun plus í and a dative pronoun is reserved for actual physical body parts and internal organs, like maginn í honum (his stomach). A cough is a symptom or an action, not an anatomical organ, so it takes regular possession.
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