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Questions & Answers about Hundurinn er þar.
Why does the word for dog have -inn at the end here?
In Icelandic, the word for 'the' attaches to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word. Hundur means 'a dog', so adding the definite ending makes hundurinn ('the dog').
How do I know whether to use -inn, -in, or -ið for 'the'?
It depends on the gender of the noun! Hundur is a masculine word, so it takes the masculine ending -inn. Feminine words take -in, and neuter words take -ið.
The lesson talks about þetta er. Why don't we use þetta in this sentence?
Þetta er means 'this is' and is used to introduce something new, like Þetta er hundur (This is a dog). Since we are talking about a specific dog we already know about, we use the definite noun hundurinn as the subject instead.
Can I use þar to say 'there is a dog'?
No, þar strictly means 'in that physical location'. To say 'there is a dog' (meaning a dog exists somewhere), you would use það er hundur. We use þar here because we are stating exactly where hundurinn is located.