hann Jón

Pronoun Before a Name (Hann Jón)

Level 4

Hann Jón er kominn. (Jón is here.) The pronoun tells the listener that you both know who Jón is.

How It Works

What it does. A pronoun before a name tells the listener: you know who I mean. It is common in everyday speech and informal writing, and it is always optional. Jón er kominn and Hann Jón er kominn both mean Jón is here.

Agreement. The pronoun matches the name in gender and case, so both words decline (see names decline):

  • Hún Anna er hérna. (nominative)
  • Ég hitti hana Önnu í gær. (accusative after hitta)
  • Ég fékk bréf frá henni ömmu. (dative after frá)
  • Þetta er bíllinn hans Jóns. (genitive)

Saying whose. In speech, the genitive with the pronoun is a very common way to show an owner: bíllinn hans Jóns (Jón's car), húsið hennar ömmu (Grandma's house). The plain genitive, bíll Jóns, sounds more written.

Which names. Use it with first names and short family words: hún mamma, hann pabbi, hún amma, hann afi. It is not used with an ordinary noun on its own, such as kennari, and it is less common with full names.

Introductions. It also appears when you introduce someone you know: Þetta er hún Sigga, vinkona mín.

Examples (6)

  1. Hann Jón er kominn.

    Jón is here.

    Word by Word: He Jón is come.

  2. Ég hitti hana Önnu í gær.

    I met Anna yesterday.

    Word by Word: I met her Anna yesterday.

    hitta takes the accusative, so both words are accusative: hana Önnu.

  3. Ég fékk bréf frá henni ömmu.

    I got a letter from Grandma.

    Word by Word: I got letter from her grandma.

    frá takes the dative: henni ömmu.

  4. Þetta er bíllinn hans Jóns.

    This is Jón's car.

    Word by Word: This is the-car his Jón's.

  5. Hvernig hefur hún mamma þín það?

    How is your mom doing?

    Word by Word: How has she mom your it?

  6. Þetta er hún Sigga, vinkona mín.

    This is Sigga, my friend.

    Word by Word: This is she Sigga, friend my.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the pronoun in the nominative.

    Ég hitti hún Önnu í gær.
    Ég hitti hana Önnu í gær.

    The pronoun takes the same case as the name. hitta takes the accusative: hana Önnu.

  • Using the wrong owner word.

    Þetta er bíllinn hans Önnu.
    Þetta er bíllinn hennar Önnu.

    The pronoun agrees with the owner: hennar for a woman, hans for a man.

  • Putting the pronoun before an ordinary noun.

    Hann kennari kom seint í dag.
    Kennarinn kom seint í dag.

    The pronoun goes with names and family words like mamma and pabbi, not with a bare noun like kennari. An ordinary noun takes the article instead.

How It Connects

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

hann JónLevel 4Pronoun Before a Name (Hann Jón)

Learn This First

hann Jón builds on declined names.

Words in This Pattern

hannhúnhanahenni