Breakdown of Fimmtíu hestar hlaupa yfir túnið.
hesturinn
the horse (m)
hlaupa
to run
yfir
past / over, across
fimmtíu
fifty
Questions & Answers about Fimmtíu hestar hlaupa yfir túnið.
Why is túnið in the accusative case after yfir?
The preposition yfir (over/across) takes the accusative case when it describes movement across a space or towards a destination. Because the horses are actively running across the field, yfir forces the accusative. If they were just resting or standing in a fixed location, it would take the dative case instead.
túnið looks exactly like the subject (nominative) form. How do I know it's accusative?
Tún is a neuter noun. A very helpful rule in Icelandic is that all neuter nouns look exactly the same in the accusative case as they do in the nominative case. The definite article -ið also stays the same. We only know it is accusative here because the grammar rule for yfir involving motion demands it!
Why doesn't the number fimmtíu have a masculine plural ending to match hestar?
In Icelandic, only the numbers 1 through 4 change their endings to match the gender and case of the noun they are counting. Numbers from 5 and up do not change at all. So fimmtíu will always stay exactly the same regardless of what you are counting.
What kind of field is a tún?
A tún specifically refers to a cultivated grassy field, usually a hayfield or the area directly surrounding a farmhouse (the "home field"). For a wild, uncultivated field or meadow, you would more likely use a word like eng.