Breakdown of Maðurinn stakk hann með hníf.
hann
he
maðurinn
the man
með
with
hnífurinn
the knife
stinga
to stab, to poke
Questions & Answers about Maðurinn stakk hann með hníf.
What is the base form (infinitive) of the verb stakk?
The infinitive is stinga. It is a strong verb, meaning it changes its inner vowel in the past tense rather than using a standard ending, much like "sing" becomes "sang" in English.
Why is the object hann in the accusative case here instead of the dative?
The meaning of the verb stinga changes depending on the case of its object. When it takes the accusative, it means "to stab" someone or "to sting" (like a bee). If it takes a dative object, it means "to put" or "to stick" something somewhere, such as putting a key in your pocket.
Since the pronoun hann is spelled the exact same way in both the nominative and accusative cases, how do we know which one it is in this sentence?
It must be the accusative form because it is the direct object receiving the action of the verb. The word maðurinn (the man) is the subject performing the action, so it takes the nominative case.
If the knife is the tool being used, shouldn't með be followed by the dative form hnífi?
Strictly speaking, yes. Traditional grammar dictates that með takes the dative case when expressing an instrument being used. However, in modern everyday Icelandic, it is extremely common to hear people either drop the dative "i" ending or simply use the accusative form (með hníf) when talking about physical tools.
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