Question 1

Why is the adjective stóra and not stór or stórum?

Accepted Answer

Because the noun réttarsalnum (the courtroom) has the definite article suffix, the adjective must use the weak declension. In the weak declension, all masculine adjectives in the oblique cases (accusative, dative, and genitive) end in -a. Since the preposition í requires the dative case here, we use stóra.

Question 2

Why is the verb bíður (waits) singular when the English translation says wait (plural)?

Accepted Answer

In English, the word police is treated as a plural noun. In Icelandic, however, lögreglan is a singular feminine noun (think of it as the police force). Because it is a singular noun, it takes the 3rd person singular form of the verb, which is bíður.

Question 3

Why are we using the dative case for réttarsalnum instead of the accusative?

Accepted Answer

The preposition í (in) can take either the accusative or the dative case. We use the accusative when describing movement to a destination, but we use the dative when describing a stationary location. Since the police are just waiting inside the room, we use the dative case.

Question 4

How is the compound word réttarsalnum put together?

Accepted Answer

It is made of réttur (court) and salur (hall or room). The -ar- in the middle is the genitive ending of réttur, which connects the two words. Finally, -num is the masculine dative singular definite article meaning the.

Lögreglan bíður í stóra réttarsalnum.

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