Breakdown of Lögfræðingurinn hjálpar slæma glæpamanninum.
hjálpa
to help
slæmur
bad
lögfræðingurinn
the lawyer
glæpamaðurinn
the criminal
Questions & Answers about Lögfræðingurinn hjálpar slæma glæpamanninum.
Why is the object of this sentence in the dative case?
In Icelandic, some verbs require their objects to be in a specific case. The verb hjálpa (to help) always takes the dative case. That is why the whole phrase slæma glæpamanninum (the bad criminal) is in the dative.
Since the phrase is in the dative masculine, why is the adjective slæma instead of the strong dative slæmum?
Because the noun glæpamanninum has a definite article attached to it ('the' criminal). When an adjective comes before a definite noun, it uses the 'weak' declension. For masculine nouns in any of the oblique cases (accusative, dative, or genitive singular), the weak adjective ending is always -a.
How do we get the form glæpamanninum from the dictionary word glæpamaður?
The noun glæpamaður ends in -maður (man). The dative singular form of maður is manni. Then we add the dative masculine definite article -num, which gives us the full word glæpamanninum.
What are the smaller words that make up lögfræðingur (lawyer) and glæpamaður (criminal)?
Lögfræðingur is made of lög (law), fræði (study or science), and the suffix -ingur (a person associated with something). Glæpamaður is simply glæpur (crime) plus maður (man or person).
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