Breakdown of Báðir kennararnir kvíða fyrir úrslitunum.
kennarinn
the teacher
báðir
both (m, f, n)
kvíða fyrir
to be anxious about
úrslitin
the results
Questions & Answers about Báðir kennararnir kvíða fyrir úrslitunum.
Why does the word for results end in -unum here?
It is because of the prepositional verb kvíða fyrir (to be anxious about). While the preposition fyrir can sometimes take the accusative case, when it pairs with kvíða it always forces the following noun into the dative case. Úrslitunum is the dative plural definite form of the neuter noun úrslit (results).
Does fyrir always mean about?
On its own, fyrir usually translates to for, before, or in front of. However, prepositional verbs like kvíða fyrir act as a single unit with their own specific meaning. You just have to learn the verb and the preposition together as a set phrase.
Why do we use báðir instead of bæði for both?
The word for both has to match the gender, number, and case of the noun it describes. Since kennararnir (the teachers) is a masculine plural noun in the nominative case, we use the masculine form báðir. If it were a feminine noun, it would be báðar, and if neuter, bæði.
Why does kennararnir have the definite article attached to it?
When referring to specific people or things, Icelandic usually requires the definite article on the noun after the word for both. You say báðir kennararnir (literally both the teachers), which is the standard way to express both teachers in Icelandic.