The Separate Article (hinn, hin, hið)

Level 6

Hinn íslenski fáni (formal) = íslenski fáninn (everyday). Both mean the Icelandic flag.

How It Works

Forms. The separate article has the same endings as the attached one:

  • Singular: hinn, hin, hið (nom.); hinn, hina, hið (acc.); hinum, hinni, hinu (dat.); hins, hinnar, hins (gen.)
  • Plural: hinir, hinar, hin (nom.); hina, hinar, hin (acc.); hinum (dat.); hinna (gen.)

Where you see it.

  • Names of societies and institutions: Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag (founded 1816)
  • News and formal writing: Hin nýja ríkisstjórn tók við í gær.
  • Old titles and proclamations: Kristján hinn tíundi (Christian the Tenth)
  • Adjectives used as nouns: hinir ríku (the rich)

Everyday speech. Use the weak adjective with the attached article: Íslenski fáninn er blár, hvítur og rauður.

Not the same as hinn = the other. hinn with a noun that has its own article means the other: Hin bókin er betri. (The other book is better.) With an adjective and a bare noun it is just the: hin nýja bók (the new book).

Examples (6)

  1. Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag var stofnað árið 1816.

    The Icelandic Literary Society was founded in 1816.

    Word by Word: The Icelandic literary-society was founded year 1816.

  2. Hinn íslenski fáni er blár, hvítur og rauður.

    The Icelandic flag is blue, white and red.

    Word by Word: The Icelandic flag is blue, white and red.

    Formal: separate article, weak adjective, noun without the attached article.

  3. Íslenski fáninn er blár, hvítur og rauður.

    The Icelandic flag is blue, white and red.

    Word by Word: Icelandic the-flag is blue, white and red.

    Everyday: the article is attached to the noun.

  4. Hin nýja ríkisstjórn tók við í gær.

    The new government took office yesterday.

    Word by Word: The new government took over in yesterday.

  5. Þetta er saga hins unga skálds.

    This is the story of the young poet.

    Word by Word: This is story the young poet's.

    Genitive: hins unga skálds.

  6. Hin bókin er betri.

    The other book is better.

    Word by Word: The-other the-book is better.

    Here hin means the other, because bókin has its own article.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the strong adjective after hinn.

    Hinn íslenskur fáni er fallegur.
    Hinn íslenski fáni er fallegur.

    After an article the adjective is always weak: íslenski, not íslenskur.

  • Adding the attached article as well.

    Hið íslenska bókmenntafélagið gefur út bækur.
    Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag gefur út bækur.

    With the separate article the noun takes no attached article. The name is Hið íslenska bókmenntafélag.

How It Connects

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

The Separate Article (hinn, hin, hið)Level 6

Learn This First

hinn + adjective builds on weak adjectives and hinn.

Words in This Pattern

hinnhinhið