Breakdown of Markhópurinn er stór og sérstaðan okkar er skýr.
vera
to be
og
and
stór
big
okkar
our
skýr
clear
markhópurinn
the target group
sérstaðan
the uniqueness
Questions & Answers about Markhópurinn er stór og sérstaðan okkar er skýr.
How do the compound words markhópurinn and sérstaðan break down?
Markhópurinn comes from mark (target or goal) and hópur (group), plus the masculine definite article -inn. Sérstaðan is built from sér (special, separate, or self) and staða (position or situation), plus the feminine definite article -n. Literally meaning the special position, it is the standard word for uniqueness or differentiating factor in a business context.
Why do we say sérstaðan okkar instead of okkar sérstaða?
In Icelandic, possessives like okkar (our) normally follow the noun, and that noun must take the definite article (the -n attached to sérstaðan). Putting okkar first (okkar sérstaða) is grammatically fine but adds heavy emphasis, as in 'OUR uniqueness (not theirs).'
Why don't the adjectives stór and skýr have any endings here?
They are in their strong nominative singular forms, which for these specific adjectives happen to be the base dictionary forms. Stór matches the masculine subject markhópurinn, and skýr matches the feminine subject sérstaðan. If the nouns were neuter, you would see the neuter ending -t (stórt, skýrt).
This lesson is about summarising. If I put í stuttu máli (in short) at the start of this sentence, does the word order change?
Learn Markhópurinn er stór og sérstaðan okkar er skýr 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