Feminine Nouns Like borg
Many feminine nouns end in a consonant, like borg (city). In the singular, only the genitive usually changes: borg, borg, borg, borgar.
How It Works
The pattern
Forms in this order: borg (city) · vél (machine) · sýning (show).
- Nominative: borg · vél · sýning
- Accusative: borg · vél · sýningu
- Dative: borg · vél · sýningu
- Genitive: borgar · vélar · sýningar
- Plural: borgir, borgir, borgum, borga · vélar, vélar, vélum, véla · sýningar, sýningar, sýningum, sýninga
-ir or -ar in the plural?
Many nouns take -ir: ferð → ferðir (trips), mynd → myndir (pictures), búð → búðir (shops). Others take -ar, like vél → vélar. Learn the plural with the word. Nouns in -ing always take -ar.
Place names
Place names in -vík have a genitive in -ur: Reykjavík → til Reykjavíkur. Feminine nouns never take -s in the genitive.
With the article
borgin, borgina, borginni, borgarinnar. The genitive article comes after the case ending: borgar + innar. See The Attached Article in All Cases.
Examples (6)
- Reykjavík er falleg borg.
Reykjavík is a beautiful city.
Word by Word: Reykjavík is beautiful city.
borg is in the nominative after er.
- Ég tók mynd af fossinum.
I took a picture of the waterfall.
Word by Word: I took picture of waterfall-the.
mynd is the object, and it looks the same as the nominative.
- Hefurðu farið á sýningu í Hörpu?
Have you been to a show at Harpa?
Word by Word: Have-you gone on show in Harpa?
sýning adds -u in the accusative.
- Sýningin byrjar klukkan átta.
The show starts at eight.
Word by Word: Show-the starts clock eight.
sýning is the subject, so it has no -u.
- Það eru margar gamlar borgir á Ítalíu.
There are many old cities in Italy.
Word by Word: It are many old cities on Italy.
borg takes -ir in the plural.
- Ég fór til Reykjavíkur um helgina.
I went to Reykjavík over the weekend.
Word by Word: I went to Reykjavík's over weekend-the.
til takes the genitive, and Reykjavík adds -ur.
Common Mistakes
Giving a feminine noun a masculine -s genitive.
Ég fór til Reykjavíks.Ég fór til Reykjavíkur.Feminine nouns never add -s in the genitive. Most add -ar, and place names in -vík add -ur.
Leaving out -u on a noun in -ing.
Ég fór á sýning í gær.Ég fór á sýningu í gær.Nouns in -ing add -u in the accusative and the dative singular: sýningu, æfingu, kynningu.
Giving an -ing noun an -ir plural.
Það eru margar sýningir í bænum.Það eru margar sýningar í bænum.Nouns in -ing always make their plural with -ar.
How It Connects
Learn This First
borg nouns come after the masculine model.
Related Patterns
- Feminine Nouns in -a
Feminine nouns in -a, like kona, are the other big feminine group.
Level 2 - The Genitive (eignarfall)
The genitive is the one singular case where borg changes.
Level 2 - Plural Nouns
Introduces the plural endings -ar and -ir that these nouns use.
Level 1 - The Attached Article in All Cases
Shows the article on feminine nouns: borgina, borginni, borgarinnar.
Level 2 - á Íslandi / í ReykjavíkIn or on with Place Names
Feminine place names like Reykjavík and Akureyri follow these case patterns after prepositions.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Feminine Nouns Like borg in Bubblegum
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