Breakdown of Eru skordýrin fyrir glugganum? Nei, þau eru undir borðinu.
vera
to be
borðið
the table
nei
no
glugginn
the window
þau
they (n)
undir
under
fyrir
in front of
skordýrið
the insect
Questions & Answers about Eru skordýrin fyrir glugganum? Nei, þau eru undir borðinu.
Why do we say glugganum and borðinu instead of gluggann and borðið?
This relates to our current lesson! The prepositions fyrir (in front of) and undir (under) take the dative case when describing a stationary position. Because the insects are staying in one place rather than moving towards the window or table, we use the dative definite endings -num and -inu.
I thought fyrir meant for. Why does it mean in front of here?
Fyrir is a very flexible word. When it means for, it usually triggers the accusative case. However, when it is used as a preposition of location and takes the dative case, as it does in this sentence, it translates to in front of.
Why does the sentence use þau to say they?
In Icelandic, the word for they changes depending on the grammatical gender of the noun you are replacing. Skordýr (insect) is a neuter noun, so we must use the neuter plural pronoun þau. If we were talking about a masculine noun, we would use þeir.
How does the word skordýrin (the insects) get its ending?
Skordýr is a neuter word that looks exactly the same in both the singular and the plural. To say the insects, you add the neuter plural definite article ending -in, which gives us skordýrin.
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