Breakdown of Læknirinn skoðar höfuð sjúklingsins.
læknirinn
the doctor
skoða
to look at
höfuðið
the head
sjúklingurinn
the patient
Questions & Answers about Læknirinn skoðar höfuð sjúklingsins.
How do we build the word sjúklingsins?
This is the genitive (possessive) form of the masculine noun sjúklingur (patient), with the definite article (the) attached. First, the noun takes its genitive -s ending to become sjúklings (a patient's). Then we add the definite masculine article -ins to get sjúklingsins (the patient's).
Why is the word order höfuð sjúklingsins instead of putting the owner first?
In Icelandic, the standard way to show possession is to put the owned item first, followed by the owner in the genitive case. Instead of saying 'the patient's head,' Icelandic structure is literally 'head of the patient' (höfuð sjúklingsins).
Why doesn't höfuð have a definite article here?
When a noun is directly followed by a possessor in the genitive case, the owned item (höfuð) almost always stays indefinite in Icelandic. Adding a definite article to the first word (making it höfuðið sjúklingsins) would be grammatically incorrect here.
What case is höfuð in here?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object receiving the action of the verb skoðar (examines). Because höfuð is a neuter word, its accusative form is identical to its nominative (dictionary) form, so its spelling doesn't change.