Masculine Nouns in -ir (læknir)
læknir (doctor): læknir, lækni, lækni, læknis; plural læknar. Here the -ir belongs to the singular.
How It Works
All the forms.
- Singular: læknir, lækni, lækni, læknis
- Singular with the article: læknirinn, lækninn, lækninum, læknisins
- Plural: læknar, lækna, læknum, lækna
- Plural with the article: læknarnir, læknana, læknunum, læknanna
Other words like this. hellir (cave): helli, helli, hellis, plural hellar. mælir (meter, gauge), as in hitamælir (thermometer). Men's names such as Sverrir and Þórir follow the same singular: Sverrir, Sverri, Sverri, Sverris (see names change form).
Everyday phrases. Two phrases with læknir come up all the time:
- fara til læknis (go to the doctor): til takes the genitive, læknis.
- vera hjá lækni (be at the doctor's): hjá takes the dative, lækni.
A woman is also læknir. The word is masculine whoever the doctor is, so words that agree with it stay masculine: Hún er góður læknir (She is a good doctor).
Examples (6)
- Ég þarf að fara til læknis.
I need to go to the doctor.
Word by Word: I need to go to doctor's.
til takes the genitive: læknis.
- Hún er læknir á Landspítalanum.
She is a doctor at the National University Hospital.
Word by Word: She is doctor on the National Hospital.
- Ég talaði við lækninn í morgun.
I spoke to the doctor this morning.
Word by Word: I talked with the doctor in morning.
lækninn is the accusative with the article.
- Margir læknar vinna á spítalanum.
Many doctors work at the hospital.
Word by Word: Many doctors work on the hospital.
- Við skoðuðum helli í hrauninu.
We explored a cave in the lava field.
Word by Word: We looked-at cave in the lava.
- Hefurðu séð Sverri í dag?
Have you seen Sverrir today?
Word by Word: Have-you seen Sverrir in day?
Common Mistakes
Keeping -ir before the genitive -s.
Ég þarf að fara til læknirs.Ég þarf að fara til læknis.The -ir is replaced, not kept: the genitive is lækn- + -is, læknis.
Using -ir for the plural.
Margir læknir vinna á spítalanum.Margir læknar vinna á spítalanum.læknir is only the singular. The plural takes -ar: læknar.
Keeping -ir in the accusative with the article.
Ég talaði við læknirinn.Ég talaði við lækninn.læknirinn is only the nominative. After við, use the accusative: lækninn.
How It Connects
Learn This First
læknir builds on the -ir plural group.
Related Patterns
- Masculine Nouns Like hestur
The -ar plural of læknar follows the same endings as hestar.
Level 2 - Names Change Form
Names in -ir such as Sverrir and Þórir decline like læknir.
Level 2 - tilTo (Til)
til takes the genitive: fara til læknis.
Level 1 - The Genitive (eignarfall)
The genitive læknis appears after til and in many compounds.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Masculine Nouns in -ir (læknir) in Bubblegum
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