Breakdown of Nýi rennilásinn er fimm sentímetra á breidd.
vera
to be
nýr
new
fimm
five
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
sentímetrinn
the centimeter
breiddin
the width
rennilásinn
the zipper
Questions & Answers about Nýi rennilásinn er fimm sentímetra á breidd.
Why is sentímetra in the accusative case here instead of the nominative?
When expressing measurements with the á + dimension structure, the actual unit of measurement (centimeters, meters, etc.) is put in the accusative case. This is known as the accusative of measure. Since sentímetri is a weak masculine noun, its accusative plural form is sentímetra.
Why do we use á breidd to mean 'in width'?
As covered in this lesson, the standard way to express physical dimensions (like length, width, or height) in Icelandic is to use the preposition á followed by the dimension noun in the accusative case. Breidd is the accusative form of the feminine noun for width.
Why is the adjective nýi used instead of the base form nýr?
The noun it modifies, rennilásinn, has the definite article attached at the end (the -inn part). Whenever an adjective comes before a definite noun, it must take its weak declension. For a masculine nominative noun, the weak form of nýr is nýi.
What are the parts of the compound word rennilás?
It combines a form of the verb renna (to slide or glide) with the noun lás (lock). So, a zipper in Icelandic is quite literally a sliding lock.
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