Fuglinn flýgur af fjallinu, þaðan sem hann sér dalinn.

Questions & Answers about Fuglinn flýgur af fjallinu, þaðan sem hann sér dalinn.

Why do we use þaðan sem here instead of just þar sem?
While þar sem simply means "where" for a stationary location, þaðan sem means "from where". We use it here because the mountain is the point of origin; it is the place from which the bird is looking.
Why does the preposition af change the word for mountain to fjallinu?
The preposition af (meaning "off" or "from") always takes the dative case. Fjall (mountain) is a neuter noun, and its definite dative form is fjallinu.
Why is the bird referred to as hann (he) instead of a neuter pronoun?
In Icelandic, pronouns must match the grammatical gender of the noun they refer to. Because fugl (bird) is a masculine noun, you must use the masculine pronoun hann, even though in English we usually say "it".
Why is the word for valley written as dalinn here?
It is the direct object of the verb sér (from að sjá, to see), which forces its object into the accusative case. For the masculine noun dalur (valley), the definite accusative form is dalinn.

Learn Fuglinn flýgur af fjallinu, þaðan sem hann sér dalinn and more in Icelandic

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free