Breakdown of Viðhaldslítill húsbíll er oft kostnaðarmikill.
vera
to be
oft
often
húsbíllinn
the campervan
viðhaldslítill
low-maintenance
kostnaðarmikill
costly
Questions & Answers about Viðhaldslítill húsbíll er oft kostnaðarmikill.
Why do viðhaldslítill and kostnaðarmikill use different connecting letters (-s- vs -ar-) before the adjectives?
These compound adjectives are formed by putting the first noun into the genitive (possessive) case before attaching -lítill or -mikill. The neuter noun viðhald takes an -s ending in the genitive, becoming viðhalds-. The masculine noun kostnaður takes an -ar ending, becoming kostnaðar-.
Could I just use dýr (expensive) instead of kostnaðarmikill?
You absolutely could. However, kostnaðarmikill (literally "expense-abundant") is slightly more formal and often implies a broader scope of costs over time—like insurance, parts, and fuel—rather than just a high initial purchase price. It also creates a nice stylistic parallel with viðhaldslítill in this sentence.
Since kostnaðarmikill is after the verb, does it still have to match húsbíll in gender?
Yes! In Icelandic, predicate adjectives (those coming after linking verbs like er) still must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe. Because húsbíll is a masculine singular noun in the nominative case, both viðhaldslítill and kostnaðarmikill take the masculine nominative singular form.
What are the root words inside viðhald?
It is made up of the preposition við (with/by/at) and the noun hald (hold/keeping). Together, they form viðhald, meaning "maintenance" or "upkeep" (essentially the act of "keeping it going"). When you add the suffix -lítill, you get the very common compound for "low-maintenance".
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