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Strákurinn var fimmtán ára í gær.

Strákurinn var fimmtán ára í gær.
The boy was fifteen years old yesterday.
From Lesson 64:Numbers 11 to 20 (ellefu, tólf...)·Icelandic

Breakdown of Strákurinn var fimmtán ára í gær.

vera
to be
strákurinn
the boy
í gær
yesterday
árið
the year
fimmtán
fifteen

Questions & Answers about Strákurinn var fimmtán ára í gær.

Does the number fimmtán change its ending to match the masculine noun strákurinn?
No, it doesn't. Unlike the numbers 1 through 4, which change depending on gender and case, the numbers 11 through 20 (including fimmtán) are invariable. They keep the exact same form no matter what noun they describe.
Why is the word for years ára here instead of the basic plural ár?
When talking about age in Icelandic, you use the genitive (possessive) case. Ára is the genitive plural form of ár (year). You are literally saying the boy was "of fifteen years" yesterday.
How is the word Strákurinn built?
It is made of the base masculine noun strákur (a boy) plus the definite article suffix -inn (the). This is how Icelandic says "the boy" instead of using a separate word before the noun.
What is the dictionary form of the verb var?
The dictionary form is vera (to be). Var is the past tense form used for third-person singular subjects, which matches Strákurinn.

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