Understanding Numeral Adjectives in Icelandic Grammar

Numeral Adjectives in Icelandic Grammar play an essential role in communication and present an interesting component to explore. Gaining knowledge of numeral adjectives significantly contributes to mastering the rich and complex Icelandic language. In this comprehensive guide, we will thoroughly discuss cardinal and ordinal numeral adjectives, their use, and proper declension patterns.

Cardinal Numeral Adjectives in Icelandic

Cardinal numeral adjectives refer to the numbers we use to count or quantify items. In Icelandic, cardinal numerals range from 0 to infinity, and they are declined for gender and case.

0 to 10:

To provide a foundation for numeral adjectives in Icelandic, let us first outline the cardinal numerals from 0 to 10:

– 0: núll (undeclinable)
– 1: einn, ein, eitt (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 2: tveir, tvær, tvö (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 3: þrír, þjórar, þrjú (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 4: fjórir, fjórar, fjögur (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 5: fimm (undeclinable)
– 6: sex (undeclinable)
– 7: sjö (undeclinable)
– 8: átta (undeclinable)
– 9: níu (undeclinable)
– 10: tíu (undeclinable)

Declension Patterns:

Cardinal numeral adjectives from 1 to 4 are declined for gender, case, and number. For numeral adjectives from 5 to 10 and higher, there is no declension. The numerals 11-19 follow the structure ‘tíu og X,’ where X stands for numbers 1 to 9.

Ordinal Numeral Adjectives in Icelandic

Ordinal numeral adjectives indicate the position or order of elements in a sequence. In Icelandic, ordinal numerals are indicated by a suffix, and they are declined for gender, case, and number.

Suffixes and Examples:

The most common ordinal numeral suffixes in Icelandic are -ti, -sti, or -ði for each gender. Here are examples of ordinal numeral adjectives from 1st to 10th:

– 1st: fyrsti, fyrsta, fyrsta (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 2nd: annar, önnur, annað (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 3rd: þriðji, þriðja, þriðja (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 4th: fjórði, fjórða, fjórða (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 5th: fimmti, fimmta, fimmta (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 6th: sjötti, sjötta, sjötta (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 7th: sjöundi, sjöunda, sjöunda (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 8th: áttundi, áttunda, áttunda (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 9th: níundi, níunda, níunda (masculine, feminine, neuter)
– 10th: tíundi, tíunda, tíunda (masculine, feminine, neuter)

Declension Patterns:

Ordinal numeral adjectives must be declined according to their gender, number, and case. The most common declension pattern follows the strong adjectives declension. For example, the ordinal “fyrsti” declines like the adjective “góður.”

Using Numeral Adjectives in Icelandic Sentences

Numeral adjectives are used to quantify items or indicate order in a sequence. Here are examples of Icelandic sentences using both cardinal and ordinal numeral adjectives:

– Ég á tvö hús. (I have two houses.)
– Hann er á sjötta hæðinni. (He is on the sixth floor.)

In conclusion, understanding numeral adjectives in Icelandic grammar is essential for enhancing language skills and communication. We hope that this in-depth guide has provided valuable insight into cardinal and ordinal numeral adjectives, their declension patterns, and proper usage in Icelandic sentences.