Breakdown of Sex vinir spila saman.
vinurinn
the friend
saman
together / on end (after a dative plural time noun)
spila
to play
sex
six
Questions & Answers about Sex vinir spila saman.
Does the number sex change its ending to match the masculine word vinir?
No, it does not. In Icelandic, only the numbers 1 through 4 change their form to match the gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) of the noun they describe. Numbers 5 and up, like sex (six), stay exactly the same no matter what word follows them.
Why is the word for friends vinir instead of vinur?
Vinur is the singular form, meaning one friend. Because there are six of them in this sentence, we must use the plural form, which is vinir.
Why do we use the verb spila here? Could we use leika to mean play?
It depends on what they are doing, because Icelandic has two common words for play. Spila is used for playing structured games like cards, board games, or video games, as well as musical instruments. Leika is used for unstructured play, like children playing at a playground, or for acting.
Why is the verb written as spila and not spilar?
Because the subject is plural (six friends), we need the they form of the verb. For this verb, the they form is spila. If it were just one friend playing, you would use the singular form spilar.