Breakdown of Hana langar að vera málari.
vera
to be
hún
she
langa
to want
að
to (infinitive marker)
málarinn
the painter
Questions & Answers about Hana langar að vera málari.
How is the word málari formed in this sentence?
It comes from the verb mála (to paint). By adding the suffix -ari, we create the masculine agent noun málari (painter). This is a very common way to create words for professions or 'doers' in Icelandic, exactly like adding '-er' in English.
Why does the sentence start with Hana instead of Hún?
The verb langa (to want or to long for) is an impersonal verb. It always forces the person who wants something into the accusative case. So, the nominative hún (she) becomes the accusative hana.
If Hana is accusative, why is málari in the nominative case?
This is a great catch! When using an impersonal verb like langa, the logical subject is accusative. However, the verb vera (to be) almost always takes a nominative noun after it. Because of this rule, málari stays in the nominative case rather than matching the accusative hana.
How do nouns ending in -ari change their endings?
They are weak masculine nouns, meaning they end in a vowel and have simple changes in the singular. Málari becomes málara in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular. However, watch out for the plural: they take a strong ending, becoming málarar in the nominative plural.
Learn Hana langar að vera málari 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