Breakdown of Þetta heimatilbúna hreinsiefni er mjög ódýrt.
þetta
this
vera
to be
mjög
very
ódýr
cheap
heimatilbúinn
homemade
hreinsiefnið
the cleaning product
Questions & Answers about Þetta heimatilbúna hreinsiefni er mjög ódýrt.
Why does heimatilbúinn end in -a here instead of the neuter strong ending -ið?
Because it follows the demonstrative pronoun þetta (this). Demonstratives make the noun phrase definite, so any attributive adjectives before the noun must use the weak (definite) declension. For neuter singular, that ending is -a, giving us heimatilbúna.
Since þetta makes the phrase definite, why doesn't the noun have the definite suffix (hreinsiefnið)?
Unlike some other Scandinavian languages, Icelandic normally does not use the definite suffix on a noun when it is preceded by a demonstrative pronoun. You say þetta hreinsiefni (this cleaning product), not þetta hreinsiefnið.
If the subject is definite, why is ódýrt in the strong declension?
Because ódýrt is a predicate adjective (it comes after the verb er to describe the subject). In Icelandic, predicate adjectives always take the strong declension to agree with the subject's gender and number (neuter singular here), regardless of whether the subject itself is definite or indefinite.
How is the adjective heimatilbúinn formed?
It is a compound word made from heima (at home) and the past participle tilbúinn (made, prepared, or ready). Together they mean "homemade".
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