Dative Absolute (að loknum fundi)

Level 6

Að loknum fundi fórum við í mat. (After the meeting, we went to eat.) Að þessu sögðu vil ég þakka ykkur fyrir. (Having said this, I would like to thank you.)

How It Works

How it is built. Take a noun and a past participle, put both in the dative, and put að in front:

  • fundurinn er lokinn (the meeting is over) → að loknum fundi (after the meeting)
  • þetta er sagt (this is said) → að þessu sögðu (having said this)

The participle agrees. The participle takes the dative form that matches the noun:

  • masculine: að loknum fundi (after the meeting)
  • feminine: að lokinni athöfn (after the ceremony)
  • neuter: að loknu námi (after finishing school)
  • plural: að loknum kosningum (after the elections)

Common fixed phrases.

  • að svo búnu (at that point, with that done)
  • að öllu óbreyttu (all else being equal, unless something changes)
  • að honum látnum (after his death)

Word order. The phrase counts as one unit. At the start of a sentence, the verb comes next: Að loknum fundi fórum við í mat.

Everyday version. In speech, people use eftir with a noun, or a clause with eftir að: eftir fundinn, eftir að fundinum lauk. The dative absolute belongs to news, speeches and official writing, and fits the nominal style.

Examples (6)

  1. Að loknum fundi fórum við í mat.

    After the meeting, we went to eat.

    Word by Word: At finished meeting went we in food.

    fundur is masculine, so the participle is loknum.

  2. Að lokinni athöfn verður boðið upp á kaffi.

    After the ceremony, coffee will be served.

    Word by Word: At finished ceremony will-be offered up on coffee.

    athöfn is feminine, so the participle is lokinni.

  3. Að loknu námi flutti hún til Danmerkur.

    After finishing her studies, she moved to Denmark.

    Word by Word: At finished study moved she to Denmark.

    nám is neuter, so the participle is loknu.

  4. Að þessu sögðu vil ég þakka ykkur fyrir.

    Having said this, I would like to thank you.

    Word by Word: At this said want I thank you for.

  5. Að öllu óbreyttu hefjast framkvæmdir í maí.

    Unless something changes, construction will start in May.

    Word by Word: At all unchanged begin constructions in May.

  6. Að svo búnu hélt hann heim.

    With that, he went home.

    Word by Word: At so done held he home.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the nominative instead of the dative.

    Að lokinn fundur fórum við í mat.
    Að loknum fundi fórum við í mat.

    Both the noun and the participle must be in the dative.

  • Not matching the participle to the noun's gender.

    Að loknum athöfn verður boðið upp á kaffi.
    Að lokinni athöfn verður boðið upp á kaffi.

    athöfn is feminine, so the participle needs the feminine dative form lokinni.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Dative Absolute (að loknum fundi)Level 6

Learn This First

Dative absolute builds on participles and after-clauses.

Words in This Pattern

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