Question 1

Why does the sentence use á búðinni instead of a compound word for "shop window"?

Accepted Answer

While you could use a compound word like búðargluggi, it is very common in Icelandic to express a "part of a whole" using the preposition á (on). It is phrased literally as "the window on the shop."

Question 2

In English we just say "in the shop window," but here both nouns have a definite "the" ending (glugganum and búðinni). Why?

Accepted Answer

When linking two nouns with a preposition to show a relationship, like a window belonging to a shop, Icelandic typically puts both nouns in the definite form. You are talking about a specific window on a specific shop.

Question 3

Both í and á can take either the accusative or dative case. How do we know to use the dative case here?

Accepted Answer

Both prepositions govern the dative case when describing a stationary location (where something is). If the sentence described movement towards a destination, they would take the accusative. Since the advertisement is resting in the window, dative is used.

Question 4

What happens to the word gluggi (window) to make it glugganum?

Accepted Answer

Gluggi is a weak masculine noun. In the dative case, the word itself changes to glugga. To say "the window," you add the masculine dative definite suffix -num, resulting in glugganum.

Question 5

Does the feminine noun búð change in the dative case?

Accepted Answer

The root word búð (shop) does not change its spelling in the dative case. To make it definite, the feminine dative suffix -inni is attached directly to the base word, creating búðinni.

Auglýsingin er í glugganum á búðinni.

Breakdown of Auglýsingin er í glugganum á búðinni.

Questions & Answers about Auglýsingin er í glugganum á búðinni.

Learn Auglýsingin er í glugganum á búðinni and more in Icelandic