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Við virðum einkalíf þeirra beggja og spyrjum ekki um öll smáatriði.

Við virðum einkalíf þeirra beggja og spyrjum ekki um öll smáatriði.
We respect the private life of both of them and do not ask about all details.
From Lesson 282:Both in dative and genitive (báðum / beggja)·Icelandic

Questions & Answers about Við virðum einkalíf þeirra beggja og spyrjum ekki um öll smáatriði.

Why do we use beggja here instead of báðir or báðum?
Beggja is the genitive (possessive) form of báðir (both). It is used here because it shows possession alongside þeirra (their). Together, þeirra beggja translates to 'of both of them'. Unlike other cases, the genitive form beggja is the exact same for masculine, feminine, and neuter words!
Wait, why isn't einkalíf in the genitive if we are talking about their private life?
In Icelandic, the thing being owned takes its case from its role in the sentence, while only the owner takes the genitive case. Because einkalíf is the direct object of the verb virða (to respect), it is in the accusative case. The owners (þeirra beggja) are in the genitive.
Does the preposition um always take the accusative case like it does with öll smáatriði?
Yes! When um means 'about' or 'concerning' (like asking about details), it always forces the following words into the accusative case.
Why does öll (all) look plural but smáatriði looks singular?
Smáatriði actually is plural here! It is a neuter noun ending in -i. For this specific type of neuter noun, the singular and plural forms are identical in the nominative and accusative cases. You can tell it is plural because the adjective öll is in the neuter plural form.

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