Breakdown of Strákurinn mátar brúnan jakka og þykka peysu.
og
and
strákurinn
the boy
peysan
the sweater
jakkinn
the jacket
máta
to try on
þykkur
thick
brúnn
brown
Questions & Answers about Strákurinn mátar brúnan jakka og þykka peysu.
Why does the word for brown (brúnan) end in -an?
Because it describes jakka (a jacket), which is a masculine noun. Since the jacket is the direct object being tried on, it is in the accusative case. Strong adjectives for masculine accusative nouns end in -an, turning the base word brúnn into brúnan.
If they are both masculine and accusative, why don't brúnan and jakka rhyme?
Nouns and adjectives follow different pattern rules. The base noun jakki is a weak masculine noun, and its accusative form ends in -a (jakka). Adjectives follow the strong pattern, which uses -an for the masculine accusative. Words must match in gender and case, but their actual endings will often look completely different!
Why does the adjective þykka (thick) end in -a instead of -an?
Because it describes peysu (a sweater), which is a feminine noun. Even though it is also in the accusative case like the jacket, feminine strong adjectives take an -a ending in the accusative. So the base word þykkur becomes þykka.
Is it the verb mátar that puts the clothes into the accusative case?
Yes. The verb máta (to try on) takes a direct object. The person doing the action (Strákurinn) is in the default nominative case, while the things receiving the action (the clothes) are forced into the accusative case.
Why does Strákurinn have a special ending while the clothes just use strong adjectives?
Strákurinn includes the attached definite article -inn because it means THE boy. The jacket and sweater are indefinite (he is trying on A jacket and A sweater). Whenever a noun is indefinite, any adjective describing it must use the strong adjective pattern.
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