Breakdown of Við þvoum mjúkt handklæði og bláa skyrtu.
og
and
við
we
þvo
to wash
handklæðið
the towel
skyrtan
the shirt
blár
blue
mjúkur
soft
Questions & Answers about Við þvoum mjúkt handklæði og bláa skyrtu.
Why is the adjective bláa used instead of blá?
Because the shirt is the object we are washing, it is in the accusative case. Skyrta (shirt) is a feminine noun, and the strong accusative ending for feminine adjectives is -a. So, the dictionary form blá becomes bláa.
Why did the noun skyrta change to skyrtu?
Nouns also change their endings in the accusative case! Skyrta is a feminine noun that ends in -a. These types of nouns drop their -a and add a -u when they are the object of the sentence.
Why does the adjective mjúkt end in -t?
It describes handklæði (towel), which is a neuter noun. The strong adjective ending for neuter nouns is -t. For neuter words, the accusative form is exactly the same as the nominative (dictionary) form, so it stays mjúkt.
Does the word handklæði change in the accusative case?
No, it stays exactly the same. Neuter nouns almost never change their spelling in the accusative case, whether they are the subject doing an action or the object receiving it.
Why are we using "strong" adjectives in this sentence?
In Icelandic, we use the strong adjective endings when the noun doesn't have the definite article ("the") attached to it. Because we are talking about "a" soft towel and "a" blue shirt, the adjectives must take the strong endings.
Learn Við þvoum mjúkt handklæði og bláa skyrtu 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