Breakdown of Við dreifum fötum til sérhvers nauðstadds manns.
maðurinn
the man
við
we
fötin
the clothes
til
to
dreifa
to distribute
sérhver
every single
nauðstaddur
destitute
Questions & Answers about Við dreifum fötum til sérhvers nauðstadds manns.
Why is sérhvers in the genitive case here?
The preposition til always forces the following noun phrase into the genitive case. Since it modifies the masculine noun maður (which becomes manns), the distributive pronoun sérhver takes the masculine genitive form sérhvers.
Why is fötum in the dative case instead of the accusative?
The verb dreifa (to distribute or spread) governs the dative case for the item being handed out. Therefore, the neuter plural noun föt (clothes) becomes fötum.
Why does the adjective nauðstadds have an -s ending?
It must agree with the noun it describes, manns, which is in the genitive masculine singular. Because there is no definite article or weak pronoun before it, the adjective uses the strong declension, adding the -s ending for this case and gender.
What is the difference between using sérhvers manns and just hvers manns here?
While both mean every person, sérhver adds strong emphasis, much like the English phrases every single or each and every. It highlights that absolutely no destitute person is being left out.
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