Breakdown of Hann klárar allan matinn í skálinni.
hann
he
maturinn
the food
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
klára
to finish
skálin
the bowl
allur
all / everything / everyone
Questions & Answers about Hann klárar allan matinn í skálinni.
Why is the word for "all" spelled allan here instead of allur or allt?
The word allur changes to match the gender, number, and case of the noun it describes. Here, it describes matinn (the food), which is masculine, singular, and in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb klárar. So, allur becomes the masculine singular accusative allan.
How can I tell that matinn is in the accusative case? Doesn't -inn usually mean nominative?
That can be a tricky refresher! The base word for food is the masculine noun matur. In the accusative case, the -ur drops, leaving just mat. When you add the masculine accusative definite article (the suffix for "the"), which is -inn, you get matinn. The nominative "the food" would be maturinn.
Does the verb klára always take the accusative case?
Yes, að klára (to finish) is a very straightforward verb. Just like in English, you finish a specific thing, so the thing being finished is the direct object and takes the accusative case.
Why does skálinni end in -inni?
The preposition í (in) forces the word after it into the dative case when we are talking about a stationary location (being inside the bowl, not moving into it). Skál (bowl) is a feminine noun. When you add the feminine dative definite article (the suffix for "the"), it becomes skálinni.
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