Question 1

How does Þetta dýra mean "this expensive one"? I thought the neuter form of expensive was dýrt.

Accepted Answer

You are seeing noun ellipsis in action! Because we are saying "this expensive [thing]" without naming the noun, we use the demonstrative word Þetta directly with the adjective. When an adjective follows a demonstrative like Þetta, it must use the weak declension. The weak neuter singular form is dýra.

Question 2

Why is fallegt in the strong form if dýra is weak? They both describe the exact same unnamed thing.

Accepted Answer

Great catch! Adjectives only take the weak form when they are directly preceded by pointing words like Þetta or a definite article. Because fallegt comes after the verb er (acting as a predicate), it uses the strong declension. That is why it takes the standard strong neuter -t ending.

Question 3

Why does the verb prúttað end in -að instead of the regular infinitive prútta?

Accepted Answer

This is a crucial rule for the verb geta (can or to be able to). Unlike most other helper verbs in Icelandic that take the infinitive, geta requires the following verb to be in the supine form. The supine is the same form you use with "have" for past actions, which gives us prúttað.

Question 4

What kind of noun is seljandann and why does it end in -ann?

Accepted Answer

The base word is seljandi (seller), a masculine noun from a special group ending in -andi that usually describes a person doing an action. The preposition við requires the accusative case here. The accusative form of the word is seljanda, and adding the masculine accusative "the" suffix (-nn) makes it seljandann.

Þetta dýra er fallegt, get ég prúttað við seljandann?

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