Learn Icelandic: Fjórar búðir eru opnar.

Fjórar búðir eru opnar.

Four shops are open.

Breakdown of Fjórar búðir eru opnar.

Questions & Answers about Fjórar búðir eru opnar.

Why is the number four spelled fjórar instead of fjórir?

In Icelandic, the numbers 1 through 4 change their endings to match the gender of the noun they are counting. The word for shop, búð, is a feminine noun. Because we are talking about plural feminine shops (búðir), we must use the feminine form for four: fjórar.

Would I use fjórar if I was just counting from one to ten out loud?

No. When you are just counting numbers on their own (like 1, 2, 3, 4) and not counting specific objects, you always use the masculine forms: einn, tveir, þrír, fjórir. You only switch to fjórar when you are specifically counting feminine things.

How can I tell that búðir is a feminine noun?

The singular form is búð. A very common pattern for feminine nouns in Icelandic is that they add -ir to make the plural, becoming búðir. Noticing these plural endings is a great trick to help you remember a noun's gender!

Why is the adjective for "open" spelled opnar?

Just like the number four, adjectives have to agree with the noun they describe. Because búðir is feminine and plural, the base adjective opinn (open) gets the feminine plural ending -ar, making it opnar. Notice how it rhymes with fjórar!