Breakdown of Eiginmaðurinn hennar er læknir.
vera
to be
læknirinn
the doctor
hún
she
eiginmaðurinn
the husband
Questions & Answers about Eiginmaðurinn hennar er læknir.
Why is the definite article attached to eiginmaður if we already have the possessive word hennar?
In English, we say 'her husband'. In Icelandic, the standard way to show possession is to put the definite article on the noun, followed by the possessive word: literally, 'the husband her' (eiginmaðurinn hennar). You can put the possessive first (hennar eiginmaður), but that sounds quite formal or places a very strong emphasis on the word 'her'.
Could I just say maðurinn hennar instead?
Yes, absolutely. The word maður means both 'man' and 'husband'. In everyday spoken Icelandic, people usually just say maðurinn hennar to mean 'her husband'. The word eiginmaður (literally 'own man') is slightly more formal and specific, but fits perfectly here.
Why is there no word for 'a' before læknir?
Icelandic does not have an indefinite article (a word for 'a' or 'an'). Native English speakers often instinctively want to add a word before professions, but in Icelandic, you just use the bare noun. You simply say that someone 'is doctor'.
Why do we use the word hennar here?
Hennar is the genitive case form of hún (she). Because Icelandic uses the genitive case to show possession, you are literally saying 'the husband of her'.
Learn Eiginmaðurinn hennar er læknir 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