Breakdown of Það er alltaf gaman á þessum hátíðum.
vera
to be
það
it / there (existential) / the one (n)
alltaf
always
á
onto / on / in (static location) / on (a day of the week)
Questions & Answers about Það er alltaf gaman á þessum hátíðum.
Why do we use þessum here instead of þessi or þessar?
Þessum is the dative plural form of the demonstrative pronoun þessi (this/these). We use the dative plural because it follows the preposition á, which triggers the dative case when talking about a stationary location or event, and we are talking about multiple festivals. A handy tip: in the dative plural, all genders use þessum!
Why is the noun hátíðum in the indefinite form? Shouldn't "these festivals" have the definite article attached?
In Icelandic, when you use a demonstrative pronoun like þessi (this) or þessum (these), the noun that follows must be in its indefinite form. So you say þessum hátíðum rather than þessum hátíðunum.
Why do we use the preposition á here for "at" instead of í?
In Icelandic, á is the standard preposition used for events, gatherings, and celebrations. Since a hátíð (festival) is an event you attend, you use á rather than í.
Is gaman an adjective? Does it need to match the gender of the subject?