Breakdown of Kostnaðurinn okkar er sameiginlegur.
vera
to be
okkar
our
kostnaðurinn
the cost
sameiginlegur
shared
Questions & Answers about Kostnaðurinn okkar er sameiginlegur.
Does okkar change its ending to match the masculine noun Kostnaðurinn?
Why is there a definite ending on Kostnaðurinn if the English translation is just our cost?
In Icelandic, the most common and natural way to show possession is to use the definite form of the noun (with the attached the ending) followed by the possessive word. So Kostnaðurinn (the cost) plus okkar (of us) literally builds the phrase the cost of us.
Could I put okkar first and say okkar kostnaður instead?
Yes, but it changes the tone. Putting the possessive word before the noun removes the definite ending from the noun. This word order sounds formal or highly emphatic, like you are stressing OUR cost compared to someone else's. In normal conversation, Kostnaðurinn okkar is the standard way to say it.
Why does the adjective sameiginlegur end in -ur?
Adjectives in Icelandic have to match the noun they describe. Kostnaðurinn is a masculine, singular noun in the nominative case because it is the subject of the sentence. Therefore, sameiginlegur takes the standard -ur ending to match masculine singular subjects.
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