Breakdown of Þau upplifa þögnina mánuðum saman.
saman
together / on end (after a dative plural time noun)
þau
they (n)
mánuðurinn
the month
upplifa
to experience
þögnin
the silence
Questions & Answers about Þau upplifa þögnina mánuðum saman.
How does the phrase mánuðum saman work to mean "for months on end"?
To express an extended, continuous duration of time in Icelandic, you use a time word in the dative plural followed by saman (which normally means "together"). Here, mánuðum is the dative plural of mánuður (month). The literal translation is "months together", but the set phrase means "for months on end".
Could I put saman before the noun, like a normal preposition?
Why is þögnina in the accusative case here?
It is the direct object of the verb upplifa (to experience), which dictates the accusative case. The root word is þögn (silence), which is a feminine noun. When you add the accusative singular definite article ("the"), it becomes þögnina.
Why use the neuter pronoun Þau for "they"?
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