Breakdown of Er kaffibollinn inni í hótelherberginu?
vera
to be
inni
inside
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
hótelherbergið
the hotel room
kaffibollinn
the coffee cup
Questions & Answers about Er kaffibollinn inni í hótelherberginu?
Why is it kaffibollinn and not kaffisbollinn?
In Icelandic compound nouns, the first word is often joined using its bare stem. Nouns ending in a vowel, like kaffi, usually connect directly to the next word without adding a genitive -s or -ar linking suffix. So, kaffi + bolli simply becomes kaffibolli.
How is the compound word hótelherbergi joined together?
It is made by combining the bare stem of hótel directly with herbergi (room). Many international loanwords like hótel don't use a genitive -s to link to the second noun. Notice that the definite article is only added to the very end of the compound word, making it hótelherberginu.
Why is hótelherberginu in the dative case here?
The preposition í governs the dative case when it describes a stationary location (where something is). Because the cup is simply resting inside the room, herbergið changes to its dative form, herberginu. If the cup were moving into the room, the noun would take the accusative case instead.
What is the difference between saying í hótelherberginu and inni í hótelherberginu?
Using just í means 'in'. Adding the location adverb inni makes it 'inside' or 'inside of'. It simply adds extra emphasis on the fact that the cup is physically enclosed within the room.
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