Breakdown of Eru fimmtíu eða sextíu kassar inni?
vera
to be
inni
inside
kassinn
the box
eða
or
fimmtíu
fifty
sextíu
sixty
Questions & Answers about Eru fimmtíu eða sextíu kassar inni?
Do the numbers fimmtíu and sextíu change their endings depending on the noun?
No. Unlike the numbers 1 to 4 which change shape to match the gender and case of the noun, the tens from 30 to 90 end in -tíu and are indeclinable. They never change their endings, no matter what noun follows them.
How are the words fimmtíu and sextíu formed?
They are compound words made by attaching tíu (ten) to the base number. Since the word for five is fimm, fifty becomes fimmtíu. Six is sex, so sixty becomes sextíu.
Why is the plural of box spelled kassar here?
Because the boxes are the subject of the sentence (Are the boxes inside?), the noun must be in the nominative case. Kassar is the nominative plural of the masculine word kassi. If the boxes were the object of an action, you would use the accusative plural kassa.
Could I use inn instead of inni to mean inside?
Not in this sentence. You use inni when describing a static location, meaning the boxes are already resting inside. You only use inn when describing motion or direction, like carrying the boxes into a house.
Learn Eru fimmtíu eða sextíu kassar inni and more in Icelandic
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free