hán

The Pronoun Hán

Level 4

Hán er ánægt með nýju vinnuna. (They are happy with the new job.) hán refers to one person and takes neuter adjectives.

How It Works

Who uses it. hán was introduced in the 2010s for people who are neither men nor women, and it is now in Icelandic dictionaries. Not every non-binary person uses it, so use the pronoun a person asks for. Some prefer hann or hún, and a few use other new pronouns such as hé or hín.

Forms. hán declines like the neuter noun lán (loan):

  • nominative hán: Hán býr í Reykjavík.
  • accusative hán: Ég þekki hán vel.
  • dative háni: Ég hjálpaði háni.
  • genitive háns: Ég sakna háns.

Adjectives. Words that describe the person are neuter singular, the forms you use after það: Hán er ánægt. Hán er orðið þreytt. Hán er komið heim. See adjective agreement.

Owner. háns works like hans and hennar and never changes: hjólið háns (their bike). When hán is the subject, sinn and sig work as usual: Hán fór heim með vinkonu sinni.

Plural. There is no separate plural. A group that includes someone who uses hán is þau, and plural adjectives are neuter: Hán og vinir háns eru komin.

Examples (6)

  1. Hán heitir Alex og býr á Akureyri.

    Their name is Alex, and they live in Akureyri.

    Word by Word: Hán is-called Alex and lives on Akureyri.

  2. Ég þekki hán vel.

    I know them well.

    Word by Word: I know hán well.

    The accusative is also hán.

  3. Ég gaf háni bók í afmælisgjöf.

    I gave them a book for their birthday.

    Word by Word: I gave hán a book in birthday-gift.

    The dative is háni.

  4. Þetta er hjólið háns.

    This is their bike.

    Word by Word: This is the-bike hán's.

  5. Hán er mjög ánægt með nýju vinnuna.

    They are very happy with the new job.

    Word by Word: Hán is very happy with the-new the-job.

    ánægt is the neuter form of ánægður.

  6. Hán og vinir háns eru komin.

    They and their friends have arrived.

    Word by Word: Hán and friends hán's are come.

    A mixed group is þau, so the participle is neuter plural: komin.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a masculine or feminine adjective.

    Hán er ánægð.
    Hán er ánægt.

    hán takes neuter adjectives: ánægt, þreytt, glatt.

  • Leaving hán unchanged in the dative.

    Ég hjálpaði hán.
    Ég hjálpaði háni.

    hjálpa takes the dative, and the dative of hán is háni.

  • Using the base form to show an owner.

    Þetta er hjólið hán.
    Þetta er hjólið háns.

    The owner is in the genitive: háns, like hans and hennar.

How It Connects

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

hánLevel 4The Pronoun Hán

Learn This First

hán builds on adjective agreement.

Words in This Pattern

hánþau