Questions & Answers about Hún skrifar með hægri hendinni.
If I wanted to ask "Which hand does she write with?", would I use hvor or hver?
You would use hvor (which of two) because a person only has two hands. Since með takes the dative case here, and hönd (hand) is feminine, the question would be: Með hvorri hendi skrifar hún? You only use hver when choosing from three or more options.
Why is the word for "the hand" in the dative case (hendinni)?
The preposition með can take either the accusative or dative case. When it means "with" in the sense of using a tool or instrument (like writing with a hand, or eating with a fork), it always takes the dative case.
The dictionary word for hand is hönd. How does it become hendinni?
Hönd is a slightly irregular feminine noun. In the dative case, the vowel changes and it becomes hendi. To say "the hand", you add the dative feminine definite article -nni to the end, giving you hendinni.
Shouldn't the adjective hægri (right) have a special ending to match the feminine dative noun?
Usually, adjectives must change their endings to match the noun's gender, case, and number. However, hægri (right) and vinstri (left) are special exceptions in Icelandic. They are indeclinable, meaning they never change their forms at all.
Why does the Icelandic sentence say "with the right hand" instead of "with her right hand"?
In Icelandic, when talking about body parts, you generally use the definite article (the attached -nni in hendinni) rather than a possessive word like "her" (hennar), as long as it is completely obvious whose body part is being used.
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