Breakdown of Hvílíkir neistar! Þeir eru alveg töfrandi.
vera
to be
þeir
they (m)
alveg
completely, totally
hvílíkur
what a / such a
neistinn
the spark (m)
töfrandi
magical
Questions & Answers about Hvílíkir neistar! Þeir eru alveg töfrandi.
Why is the exclamative word "Hvílíkir" in this specific form?
The word hvílíkur inflects like a strong adjective, meaning it has to agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it points to. Because neistar (sparks) is a masculine plural noun in the nominative case, hvílíkur takes the masculine nominative plural ending, becoming hvílíkir.
What kind of noun is "neistar", and why doesn't it have a definite article here?
Neistar is the plural of neisti (a spark), which is a weak masculine noun. We don't attach the definite article (which would make it neistarnir) because hvílíkur already serves as a determiner. Using the definite article alongside it would sound like "What the sparks!".
Why do we use "Þeir" (They) instead of the neuter "Þau" when talking about inanimate sparks?
In Icelandic, pronouns must grammatically match the gender of the noun they replace, even for inanimate objects. Since the noun neisti is masculine, the plural "they" referring back to it must be the masculine þeir. You would only use the neuter þau if referring to a neuter noun or a mixed-gender group.
Why doesn't the adjective "töfrandi" have a plural ending to match "þeir"?
Words ending in -andi are present participles (similar to English words ending in "-ing"). When used as adjectives, they are completely indeclinable. This means töfrandi (magical/enchanting) stays exactly the same no matter the gender, number, or case of the noun it describes.
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