Breakdown of Setjið þið plastið og pappann í þessar tunnur?
og
and
þið
you (plural)
í
in / into / to (before the hour, in telling time) / per (in frequency expressions)
setja
to put
þessi
this (m/f)
pappinn
the cardboard
tunnan
the bin
plastið
the plastic
Questions & Answers about Setjið þið plastið og pappann í þessar tunnur?
Why is "these" translated as þessar in this sentence?
þessar is the feminine, accusative, plural form of þessi (this/these). It has to match the noun it belongs to, tunnur (bins), which is feminine and plural. It is in the accusative case because the preposition í triggers the accusative when showing movement into something.
Why do we use the accusative case after the preposition í?
The preposition í can take either the accusative or the dative case. Here, we use the accusative because the verb setja (to put) involves moving something to a new location (into the bins). If the plastic was already sitting stationary inside the bins, í would take the dative case instead.
Why does pappann end in -nn?
This is the masculine noun pappi (cardboard) with the definite article attached, meaning "the cardboard". Because it is a direct object that you are putting into the bin, it takes the accusative case. For a masculine noun like pappi, the definite accusative ending is -nn.
Is plastið also in the accusative case?
Yes! Both plastið (the plastic) and pappann (the cardboard) are direct objects being put into the bins. plast is a neuter noun, and neuter words always have exactly the same form in the accusative case as they do in the nominative case.
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