Breakdown of Hún ferðast oft með eiginmanninum.
hún
she
oft
often
með
with
ferðast
to travel
eiginmaðurinn
the husband
Questions & Answers about Hún ferðast oft með eiginmanninum.
Why is there no word for 'her' before 'husband' in this sentence?
In Icelandic, when it is obvious from the context whose family member or body part is being talked about, the possessive pronoun (like sínum or hennar) is often left out. The definite article on eiginmanninum (the husband) is enough to imply 'her husband'.
Why does með take the dative case here instead of the accusative?
The preposition með takes the dative case when it means 'together with' or 'accompanied by' a person. It only takes the accusative when it means 'carrying' or 'using' an object. Since she is traveling together with him, eiginmanninum is in the dative case.
How does the word eiginmanninum break down?
It comes from the compound word eiginmaður (husband). In the dative singular, maður becomes manni. Then we add the dative definite article -num, making it eiginmanninum (the husband).
Why does the verb ferðast end in -st?
It is an ST-verb (middle voice). Adding -st to the base verb creates ferðast, which is the standard way to say 'to travel' in Icelandic. A helpful bonus for learners: ST-verbs do not change endings for different persons in the present tense, so it remains ferðast whether the subject is 'I', 'you', or 'she'.
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