Question 1

Why is 'these' translated as þessar here?

Accepted Answer

Þessar is the feminine plural form of the demonstrative pronoun þessi (this/these). It describes the feminine noun dósir (cans). Because the cans are the object being cleaned, they are in the accusative case. For feminine plural nouns, the nominative (subject) and accusative (object) forms of 'these' are exactly the same: þessar.

Question 2

I thought -ir was a masculine plural ending. Why does dósir take the feminine pronoun þessar?

Accepted Answer

While the -ir ending is very common for plural masculine nouns (like gestir, meaning 'guests'), a specific group of feminine nouns use it too. Dós (can) is one of these feminine nouns, becoming dósir in both the nominative and accusative plural. This is why it must take the feminine pronoun þessar instead of the masculine þessir.

Question 3

Why do we need the word að between þurfið and þrífa?

Accepted Answer

The verb þurfa means 'to need'. Just like in English, when you follow it with a base-form verb (the infinitive), you use a connecting word. In English it's 'to' (need to clean), and in Icelandic it's the infinitive marker að (þurfið að þrífa).

Question 4

Why is endurvinnsluna (the recycling) in the accusative case?

Accepted Answer

Its case is determined by the preposition fyrir. While fyrir can sometimes take the dative case (usually when describing a physical location or time), it takes the accusative case when it means 'intended for' or 'in preparation for'. The base feminine noun endurvinnsla becomes endurvinnslu in the accusative, and adding the definite article ('the') at the end makes it endurvinnsluna.

Þið þurfið að þrífa þessar dósir fyrir endurvinnsluna.

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