-inn / -in / -ið

The Article at the End of the Noun

Level 1

Icelandic says horse-the: hesturinn (the horse), konan (the woman), húsið (the house).

How It Works

The endings (nominative).

  • Masculine: hestur → hesturinn, bíll → bíllinn; plural hestar → hestarnir
  • Feminine: bók → bókin; plural bækur → bækurnar
  • Neuter: hús → húsið, barn → barnið; plural börn → börnin

Add the article to the whole word, including endings such as -ur: hestur + inn = hesturinn. In the plural, add it to the plural form: hestar + nir = hestarnir.

The i drops after an unstressed vowel.

  • kona → konan (not konain)
  • skóli → skólinn
  • auga → augað (eye)

A few short words that end in a stressed vowel keep it: brú → brúin (the bridge).

No separate word for the. Icelandic has no separate everyday word for the, and no word for a at all: hestur is a horse and hesturinn is the horse. See no indefinite article.

More to learn. These are the nominative forms. The article also changes with the case (hestinn, hestinum, hestsins); see article in all cases. A possessive comes after the article: bíllinn minn (my car); see minn/þinn.

Examples (6)

  1. Hesturinn er brúnn.

    The horse is brown.

    Word by Word: Horse-the is brown.

    hestur + inn: masculine.

  2. Konan heitir Anna.

    The woman's name is Anna.

    Word by Word: Woman-the is-called Anna.

    kona + in = konan: the i drops after the vowel.

  3. Húsið er stórt.

    The house is big.

    Word by Word: House-the is big.

    hús + ið: neuter.

  4. Skólinn er lokaður.

    The school is closed.

    Word by Word: School-the is closed.

    skóli + inn = skólinn.

  5. Strákarnir eru úti.

    The boys are outside.

    Word by Word: Boys-the are outside.

    Plural strákar + nir.

  6. Börnin sofa.

    The children are sleeping.

    Word by Word: Children-the sleep.

    Neuter plural börn + in.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the i of the article after a vowel.

    Konain er góð.
    Konan er góð.

    After a noun that ends in an unstressed vowel, the i drops: kona + in = konan.

  • Using the wrong gender ending.

    Húsinn er stór.
    Húsið er stórt.

    hús is neuter, so the article is -ið. The adjective agrees too: stórt.

  • Adding the singular article to a plural noun.

    Hestarinn eru úti.
    Hestarnir eru úti.

    Masculine plurals take -nir: hestar + nir = hestarnir.

How It Connects

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

-inn / -in / -iðLevel 1The Article at the End of the Noun

Learn This First

The attached article comes right after learning there is no word for a.

Words in This Pattern

-inn-ið