Questions & Answers about Fimmta sætið er mjög gott.
Why does the word for "fifth" end in "-a" here (fimmta)?
Ordinal numbers (like first, second, fifth) behave like weak adjectives in Icelandic. Because the noun they describe, sætið (the place), is neuter, the ordinal takes the neuter form fimmta. If the noun were masculine, it would be fimmti.
Why is there a "the" attached to sætið if the English translation is just "Fifth place"?
In Icelandic, nouns following an ordinal number usually take the definite article (the attached "the"). So while English just says "fifth place", Icelandic literally says "fifth the-place" (fimmta sætið).
Why is the adjective for "good" written as gott instead of góður?
Adjectives have to match the gender of the noun they describe. Since sæti is a neuter noun, the adjective "good" must be in its neuter form, which is gott. Góður is the masculine form.
I've seen sæti used for a chair or seat. Does it also mean "place" in a race?
Yes! The literal meaning of sæti is "seat", but it is the standard word used for rankings or standings in competitions, translating perfectly to "place" in English.
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