Breakdown of Ekki kaupa þennan rennilás á pilsið. Hann er bara fimmtán sentímetra á lengd.
vera
to be
hann
he
ekki
not
bara
just / only
kaupa
to buy
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
þessi
this (m/f)
fimmtán
fifteen
sentímetrinn
the centimeter
lengdin
the length
pilsið
the skirt
rennilásinn
the zipper
Questions & Answers about Ekki kaupa þennan rennilás á pilsið. Hann er bara fimmtán sentímetra á lengd.
How does the phrase á lengd work in this sentence?
This phrase follows the pattern of using the preposition á plus a dimension noun in the accusative case to mean "in [dimension]". The feminine noun lengd (length) is in the accusative here, which happens to look identical to its nominative form. You use the exact same structure for other measurements, such as á hæð (in height) or á breidd (in width).
Why is the measurement fimmtán sentímetra in the genitive case instead of the nominative?
When stating a physical measurement (like length, weight, or age) right before a dimension phrase or adjective, Icelandic typically uses the genitive case to describe the amount. Here, sentímetra is the genitive plural form of the masculine noun sentímetri.
Why does the sentence use á pilsið rather than fyrir pilsið to say "for the skirt"?
When talking about a component that will be physically attached, sewn, or built onto something else (like a zipper, button, or pocket going onto a garment), Icelandic uses the preposition á (on/onto) with the accusative case. It focuses on where the item is going to be placed rather than just its intended purpose.
Why does the second sentence start with Hann (he) when it translates to "It is"?
The pronoun must match the grammatical gender of the noun it refers back to. Since rennilás (zipper) is a masculine noun, it is referred to as hann, even though it translates to "it" for inanimate objects in English.
Why is the negative command formed as Ekki kaupa instead of using the imperative form of the verb?
The most natural and common way to form a negative command in modern Icelandic is to put the word Ekki before the infinitive form of the verb (kaupa). While you might sometimes see the imperative form followed by ekki (like Kauptu ekki in older or more formal texts), the infinitive structure is the standard everyday choice.
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