Breakdown of Við sýnum sérhverjum gjafa mikið þakklæti.
við
we
sýna
to show
mikill
great, much (adjective: snjórinn er mikill)
sérhver
every single
gjafinn
the donor
þakklætið
the gratitude
Questions & Answers about Við sýnum sérhverjum gjafa mikið þakklæti.
Why is sérhverjum gjafa in the dative case?
It acts as the indirect object of the verb sýna (to show). In Icelandic, when you show someone something, the person or recipient (the indirect object, sérhverjum gjafa) takes the dative case, while the thing being shown (the direct object, mikið þakklæti) takes the accusative case.
How do we form the dative sérhverjum?
The distributive pronoun sérhver (every single / each and every) is formed by attaching the prefix sér- to the pronoun hver. To decline it, you simply decline hver and leave the prefix untouched. Because gjafi (donor) is masculine, the dative singular of hver is hverjum, making the full word sérhverjum.
Wait, isn't gjafa the genitive plural for "gifts"? Why is it used here with a singular pronoun?
You have to be careful with the root noun here! While gjafa is indeed the genitive plural of the strong feminine noun gjöf (gift), in this sentence it is the dative singular of the weak masculine noun gjafi (donor). Weak masculine nouns ending in -i in the nominative change to -a in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular.
Why is mikið used here to mean "great"?
The noun þakklæti (gratitude) is an uncountable neuter noun. When describing an abstract, uncountable amount of something (like gratitude, time, or money) as "much" or "great", Icelandic uses the adjective mikill. Here it is in the neuter accusative singular form, mikið, to match þakklæti.
Learn Við sýnum sérhverjum gjafa mikið þakklæti 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