Breakdown of Börnin spyrja jólasveininn ráða um óskalistann.
barnið
the child
spyrja
to ask
um
about
óskalistinn
the wish list
jólasveinninn
the Santa Claus
ráðið
the advice
Questions & Answers about Börnin spyrja jólasveininn ráða um óskalistann.
Why is ráða in the genitive case while jólasveininn is in the accusative?
The verb spyrja takes two objects in this specific context: the person being asked is in the accusative (jólasveininn), and the thing being asked for is in the genitive (ráða). This is the Accusative + Genitive ditransitive pattern you are currently studying.
Doesn't spyrja usually take um for the thing being asked about? Why use the genitive for the advice?
Good catch! If you ask a question about a topic, you use spyrja + accusative person + um + accusative topic. However, when spyrja means 'to ask for' or 'to seek' something (like advice, permission, or a favor), the thing you are seeking takes the genitive case directly, without a preposition.
Why is ráða in the plural here if the English translation just says 'advice'?
Why is óskalistann in the accusative case?
It is the object of the preposition um (about), which governs the accusative case here. The root word is óskalisti (wish list), and the -nn suffix is the attached masculine accusative definite article making it 'the wish list'.
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