Learn Icelandic: Sonur minn er ellefu ára. - My son is eleven years old.

Sonur minn er ellefu ára.

My son is eleven years old.

Breakdown of Sonur minn er ellefu ára.

vera

to be

minn

my (m, f, n: minn, mín, mitt)

Questions & Answers about Sonur minn er ellefu ára.

Does the word ellefu change depending on who or what we are counting?

No, it doesn't! Unlike the numbers 1 through 4, which change their endings to match the gender and case of the noun, the numbers 11 through 20 (like ellefu) stay exactly the same. They do not decline for gender or case.

Why is the word for years written as ára instead of just ár?

In Icelandic, age is expressed using the genitive (possessive) case. You are literally describing your son as being 'of eleven years'. The word ár (year) becomes ára in the genitive plural.

Why does it say sonur minn instead of minn sonur?

In Icelandic, possessive words like minn (my) usually come right after the noun they describe. While you can sometimes put it before the noun for special emphasis, placing it after is the standard, natural word order.

Shouldn't it be sonurinn minn with the definite article attached?

You can actually say either sonur minn or sonurinn minn. However, dropping the definite article (the -inn part meaning 'the') is very common and sounds natural when talking about immediate family members like a son, daughter, or parent.