Learn Icelandic: Þessi spegill er mjög gamall.

Þessi is the masculine and feminine form of the word for 'this'. Because spegill (mirror) is a masculine noun, we use þessi. If the noun were neuter, you would use þetta.

Why does the adjective gamall end in -ll?

Adjectives change their endings to match the gender of the noun they describe. Since spegill is a masculine noun, the adjective for 'old' must be in its masculine form, which is gamall.

Do the double Ls in spegill and gamall make a special sound?

Yes! In Icelandic, a double L (ll) is usually pronounced with a sharp click, sounding like a crisp 'tl' or 'dl'. So gamall sounds roughly like 'ga-matl'.

Why don't we say Þessi spegillinn with the 'the' ending on the noun?

When you use a pointing word like þessi (this), the noun stays in its basic, indefinite form. The word þessi already makes it specific, so adding the 'the' ending (-inn) is not needed.