Breakdown of Við ætlum að elda fjórar kartöflur, þrjá sveppi og einn lauk.
og
and
við
we
að
to (infinitive marker)
einn
one
þrír
three
fjórir
four
ætla
to intend
elda
to cook
sveppurinn
the mushroom
kartaflan
the potato
laukurinn
the onion
Questions & Answers about Við ætlum að elda fjórar kartöflur, þrjá sveppi og einn lauk.
Why are we using fjórar, þrjá, and einn instead of their normal counting forms?
In Icelandic, the numbers 1 through 4 change their form to match the gender and case of the noun they are describing. Because we are cooking these items, they are the direct objects of the verb elda (to cook), which puts them in the accusative case.
Why is it fjórar kartöflur for four potatoes?
The word for potato, kartafla, is a feminine noun. As an accusative direct object in the plural, it is kartöflur. The number four must match this feminine accusative form, which is fjórar.
Why does the word for three become þrjá here?
The word for mushroom, sveppur, is masculine. Because it is an accusative direct object in this sentence, the plural form is sveppi. The number three must also be in its masculine accusative form, which is þrjá (instead of the dictionary form þrír).
Is einn in einn lauk also in the accusative case?
Yes! The word for onion, laukur, is masculine, and its singular accusative form is lauk. For masculine words, the accusative form of the number one happens to look exactly the same as the dictionary form: einn.
What does að do in the phrase ætlum að elda?
It connects the helping verb ætlum (we intend/are going to) with the infinitive verb elda (to cook). It works just like the word 'to' in the English phrase 'going to cook'.
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