Language/Icelandic/Grammar/Personal-Pronouns

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Icelandic → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Pronouns and Articles → Personal Pronouns

Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on personal pronouns in Icelandic! In this lesson, we will explore the importance of personal pronouns in the context of the Icelandic language and how they are used in various sentence structures. Personal pronouns are essential for effective communication, as they help us refer to people, objects, and ideas without constantly repeating their names. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of subject pronouns, object pronouns, and possessive pronouns in Icelandic.

Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns are used to indicate the person or thing performing the action in a sentence. In Icelandic, subject pronouns are typically placed before the verb. Let's take a look at the subject pronouns in Icelandic:

Icelandic	Pronunciation	English
Ég	yek	I
Þú	thoo	You (singular)
Hann	hahn	He
Hún	hoon	She
Við	veeth	We
Þið	theeth	You (plural)
Þau	thow	They

Here are some examples of subject pronouns in sentences:

• Ég er að læra íslensku. (I am learning Icelandic.)
• Þú ert fallegur. (You are beautiful.)
• Hann elskar að lesa. (He loves to read.)
• Hún er mjög dugleg. (She is very talented.)
• Við erum bestu vinir. (We are best friends.)
• Þið komið frá Bandaríkjunum. (You come from the United States.)
• Þau hafa hund. (They have a dog.)

Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are used to indicate the person or thing that receives the action in a sentence. In Icelandic, object pronouns can be placed before the verb or attached to the end of the verb. Let's take a look at the object pronouns in Icelandic:

Icelandic	Pronunciation	English
Mig	meeg	Me
Þig	theeg	You (singular)
Hann	hahn	Him
Hana	hahnah	Her
Okkur	ohk-oor	Us
Ykkur	yk-kur	You (plural)
Þá	thow	Them

Here are some examples of object pronouns in sentences:

• Ég sá þig í bókasafninu. (I saw you at the library.)
• Hann hjálpaði mér. (He helped me.)
• Hún elskaði hann. (She loved him.)
• Ég þekki hana vel. (I know her well.)
• Við köllum okkur frændur. (We call ourselves friends.)
• Þið sáuð ykkur í speglinum. (You saw yourselves in the mirror.)
• Ég átti góða samræðu við þá. (I had a good conversation with them.)

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are used to indicate ownership or possession in a sentence. In Icelandic, possessive pronouns agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. Let's take a look at the possessive pronouns in Icelandic:

Icelandic	Pronunciation	English
Minn	min	Mine
Þinn	thin	Yours (singular)
Hans	hahns	His
Hennar	henn-ar	Hers
Okkar	ohk-kar	Ours
Ykkar	yk-kar	Yours (plural)
Sín	seen	Theirs

Here are some examples of possessive pronouns in sentences:

• Þetta er bókin mín. (This is my book.)
• Er þetta penninn þinn? (Is this your pen?)
• Hann er stoltur af bílnum sínum. (He is proud of his car.)
• Hún átti góðan tímann sinn. (She had a good time of her own.)
• Þetta er hús okkar. (This is our house.)
• Er þetta tölvurnar ykkar? (Are these your computers?)
• Þau eru stolt af bókum sínum. (They are proud of their books.)

Cultural Insights

In Icelandic culture, personal pronouns play a significant role in maintaining politeness and respect. Addressing someone by their first name without their permission is considered impolite, so it is common to use subject pronouns or titles when addressing others. Additionally, Icelandic has a unique pronoun called "þið" which is used to address a group of individuals in a formal or respectful manner. This form of address is often used when speaking to older people or those in positions of authority.

In terms of historical context, Icelandic, as a North Germanic language, shares its roots with Old Norse. The use of personal pronouns in Icelandic reflects the influence of Old Norse, which had a complex system of pronouns. While the pronouns have evolved over time, the grammatical structure and usage have remained relatively consistent.

Practice Exercises

Now it's time to practice what you've learned! Complete the following exercises to reinforce your understanding of personal pronouns in Icelandic.

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate subject pronoun: 1. ___ elska að lesa. 2. ___ hefur góðan bragð. 3. ___ erum góðir vinir. 4. ___ sáu þig í bókasafninu. 5. ___ er mjög dugleg í skólanum.

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate object pronoun: 1. Ég sá ___ í bókasafninu. 2. Hann hjálpaði ___. 3. Hún elskaði ___. 4. Ég þekki ___ vel. 5. Við köllum ___ frændur.

Exercise 3: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate possessive pronoun: 1. Er þetta bókin ___? 2. Þetta er penninn ___. 3. Hann er stoltur af bílnum ___. 4. Hún átti góðan tímann ___. 5. Þetta er hús ___.

Solutions

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate subject pronoun: 1. Ég elska að lesa. 2. Þú hefur góðan bragð. 3. Við erum góðir vinir. 4. Þau sáu þig í bókasafninu. 5. Hún er mjög dugleg í skólanum.

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate object pronoun: 1. Ég sá þig í bókasafninu. 2. Hann hjálpaði mér. 3. Hún elskaði hann. 4. Ég þekki hana vel. 5. Við köllum okkur frændur.

Exercise 3: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate possessive pronoun: 1. Er þetta bókin þín? 2. Þetta er penninn þinn. 3. Hann er stoltur af bílnum sínum. 4. Hún átti góðan tímann sinn. 5. Þetta er hús okkar.

Congratulations on completing the exercises! You now have a solid understanding of personal pronouns in Icelandic.

Table of Contents - Icelandic Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Pronouns and Articles

• Personal Pronouns
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

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Present Tense Verbs

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

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Everyday Activities

• Daily Routine
• Hobbies and Interests

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Adverbs Formation

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Food and Dining

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Meals and Dining Out

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Questions and Negation

• Question Words
• Negation

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Locations

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Prepositions

• Common Prepositions
• Prepositional Phrases

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Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons and Months

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Icelandic Culture and Traditions

• Icelandic Holidays
• Icelandic Music and Literature

Sources

• Icelandic grammar - Wikipedia
• Icelandic Pronouns - ielanguages.com
• Introduction to pronouns | Icelandic Grammar Reference

Other Lessons

• Verbs
• Possession
• Adverbs
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Adverbs Formation
• How to Use Be
• Plurals
• Common Prepositions
• Icelandic Articles
• Nouns

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