Breakdown of Þessi bíll er minn.
vera
to be
bíllinn
the car
minn
my (m, f, n: minn, mín, mitt)
þessi
this (m/f)
Questions & Answers about Þessi bíll er minn.
Why do we use þessi here instead of þetta?
Why is the word for "mine" minn and not mitt?
Just like the word for "this", possessive words like "my" or "mine" must match the gender of the noun they describe. Since bíll is masculine, we use the masculine form minn.
Why doesn't bíll have the word "the" attached to the end of it?
In Icelandic, when you use a pointing word like þessi directly in front of a noun, the noun usually stays in its basic, indefinite form without the attached "the". So we say þessi bíll (this car), not þessi bíllinn.
How would I say "This is my car" instead of "This car is mine"?
To say "This is my car", you would use þetta as a general introductory word: Þetta er bíllinn minn. Notice how the structure changes, and bíll now takes the attached "the" ending because the possessive word comes after it.
Learn Þessi bíll er minn 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