Breakdown of Við kaupum bækur og þau kaupa pennana.
bókin
the book
og
and
við
we
þau
they (n)
kaupa
to buy
penninn
the pen
Questions & Answers about Við kaupum bækur og þau kaupa pennana.
Why is the plural of bók (book) spelled bækur here?
Bók is an irregular feminine noun. When it becomes plural, the root vowel changes from ó to æ, and it takes the ending -ur. Because it is the direct object of the verb kaupa (to buy), it is in the accusative case. For this word, the accusative plural is exactly the same as the nominative (dictionary) plural: bækur (books).
How do we get pennana for 'the pens'?
The word for 'pen' is penni, which is a masculine noun. In the accusative plural (because the pens are the direct object being bought), the bare word for 'pens' is penna. To say 'the pens', we attach the masculine accusative plural definite suffix, which is -na. Put the bare noun and the suffix together, and you get pennana!
Why use þau for 'they'? Could I use þeir or þær?
Why does the verb kaupa (to buy) have different endings in the two halves of the sentence?
Verbs change their endings based on who is doing the action. With við (we), verbs almost always end in -um, giving us kaupum. With þau (they) and other third-person plural pronouns, the verb usually looks identical to its infinitive (dictionary) form, which is kaupa.
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