Question 1

We are learning the accusative forms for numbers. Why do tvö and eitt look exactly like their basic nominative forms here?

Accepted Answer

For neuter words, the numbers 1 to 4 are identical in both the nominative and accusative cases! The verb fær (gets) does make its objects accusative, but because rúmstykki (bread roll) and kex (biscuit) are both neuter, you use tvö and eitt whether they are the subject or the object.

Question 2

Is rúmstykki plural here? It does not look like it changed from its singular form.

Accepted Answer

Yes, it means 'rolls' here! In Icelandic, many neuter nouns look exactly the same in the singular and the plural. We know it is plural in this sentence because the number tvö (two) is right in front of it.

Question 3

I thought the verb for 'to get' was fá. Why is it fær here?

Accepted Answer

Fá is the basic dictionary form. Verbs change their endings based on who is doing the action. Since the subject is barnið (the child, which acts as a third-person 'it'), the verb changes to fær. This is an irregular verb, so its vowel also changes from á to æ.

Question 4

Why does the sentence start with Barnið instead of just Barn?

Accepted Answer

In Icelandic, the word for 'the' is not a separate word like it is in English. Instead, it gets attached to the end of the noun. Barn means 'a child', and adding the neuter ending -ið makes it barnið, meaning 'the child'.

Barnið fær tvö rúmstykki og eitt kex.

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