Breakdown of Ég á pakkana og pennana.
og
and
ég
I
eiga
to own / to have (a relationship)
pakkinn
the package
penninn
the pen
Questions & Answers about Ég á pakkana og pennana.
Why are the words for "packages" and "pens" in the accusative case here?
They are in the accusative case because they are the direct objects of the verb eiga (conjugated here as á, meaning "to own"). In Icelandic, the thing you own or have is typically put in the accusative case.
How do we build the definite plural forms pakkana and pennana?
Both pakki (package) and penni (pen) are masculine nouns. First, we find their bare accusative plural form, which is pakka and penna. Then, to say "the" packages or "the" pens, we add the definite ending for masculine accusative plural nouns, which is -na.
These look really similar to the singular forms. How do I tell the singular and plural apart?
They do look very similar! The accusative singular for "the package" is pakkann (ending in a double -nn). The accusative plural for "the packages" is pakkana (ending in -na). Pay close attention to that final a—it is the key to knowing it is plural!
Doesn't the word á usually mean "on"?
It often does! á is a very common preposition meaning "on". However, in this sentence, á is the "I" form of the verb eiga (to own). Because it comes right after the subject ég (I), we know it is acting as a verb here.
Learn Ég á pakkana og pennana and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free