Question 1

Why is it þessari instead of þessi?

Accepted Answer

Þessari is the dative feminine singular form of þessi ("this"). The preposition á requires the dative case here because it describes a fixed location. Since the word for street (gata) is feminine, the word for "this" must match it in gender, number, and case, so it becomes þessari.

Question 2

Why did gata (street) change to götu?

Accepted Answer

Gata is a weak feminine noun, which means its ending changes from -a to -u whenever it is not in the nominative subject case. Because it comes after the preposition á in a way that indicates location, it is in the dative case here, taking the -u ending and causing the first vowel to shift to ö.

Question 3

Does the preposition á always trigger the dative case?

Accepted Answer

No, á is a two-way preposition. It takes the dative case when describing a fixed location or state (like a station sitting "on" a street). If you were describing movement or a change of location (like stepping onto the street), á would take the accusative case instead.

Question 4

Why does the word for "the bank" end in -num here?

Accepted Answer

The preposition hjá ("next to" or "by") always forces the noun that follows it into the dative case. The basic masculine word is banki. In the dative case, it becomes banka. When you add the masculine dative definite article (the suffix for "the"), which is -num, you get bankanum.

Question 5

How is the word lestarstöðin formed?

Accepted Answer

It is a compound word made of lest (train) and stöð (station). The -ar- in the middle is the genitive (possessive) ending of lest, so it literally means "station of a train". Finally, -in is the feminine definite article tacked onto the end, making it "the train station".

Lestarstöðin er á þessari götu, hjá bankanum.

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