Language/Icelandic/Grammar/Common-Prepositions

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Icelandic → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Common Prepositions

Welcome to our lesson on Common Prepositions in Icelandic! Prepositions are vital in any language, including Icelandic, as they help us understand relationships between words in a sentence. They can indicate location, direction, time, and other important relationships. Understanding prepositions is crucial for building meaningful sentences and expressing ideas clearly.

In this lesson, we will explore the most common Icelandic prepositions, their meanings, and how they affect the case of nouns they govern. We will provide you with plenty of examples and practice scenarios to ensure you feel confident using them in everyday conversations.

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction to Prepositions

2. Common Icelandic Prepositions

3. Usage and Case Requirements

4. Examples of Prepositions in Sentences

5. Practice Exercises

6. Summary and Conclusion

Introduction to Prepositions

Prepositions are words that connect nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words in a sentence. They help us answer questions like where, when, and how. In Icelandic, prepositions can govern different cases, which means the noun or pronoun following the preposition will change its form based on the preposition used.

For beginners, mastering prepositions is essential as they are commonly used in everyday conversation. Let’s dive into the most frequently used Icelandic prepositions.

Common Icelandic Prepositions

Here are some of the most common prepositions in Icelandic, along with their meanings and examples:

Icelandic	Pronunciation	English
í	[iː]	in
á	[auː]	on
undir	[ˈʏntɪr]	under
yfir	[ˈiːvɪr]	over
fyrir	[ˈfɪrɪr]	for
með	[mɛð]	with
án	[aun]	without
um	[ʊm]	about
gegn	[kɛɡn]	against
til	[tɪl]	to
frá	[frauː]	from
í kringum	[iː ˈkʁɪŋʏm]	around
á móti	[auː ˈmoːtɪ]	against
í gegnum	[iː ˈjɛɡnʏm]	through
meðal	[ˈmɛːðal]	among
fyrir ofan	[ˈfɪrɪr ˈoːvan]	above
eftir	[ˈɛftɪr]	after
fyrir neðan	[ˈfɪrɪr ˈneːðan]	below
við	[vɪð]	by
fyrir framan	[ˈfɪrɪr ˈfraːman]	in front of

Usage and Case Requirements

In Icelandic, prepositions influence the grammatical case of the nouns they govern. Here’s how some common prepositions affect noun cases:

• í (in): governs the accusative case when indicating a location in a defined space.

• á (on): generally governs the accusative case.

• undir (under): governs the accusative case.

• yfir (over): can govern the accusative case.

• fyrir (for): usually takes the accusative case.

• með (with): takes the accusative case.

• án (without): also takes the accusative case.

• um (about): governs the accusative case.

• gegn (against): takes the accusative case.

• til (to): typically governs the dative case.

It’s important to remember that the form of the noun (or pronoun) will change depending on the case required by the preposition used.

Examples of Prepositions in Sentences

Let’s look at some examples of how these prepositions are used in sentences:

Icelandic	Pronunciation	English
Ég er í skólanum.	[jɛɡ ɛr iː ˈskoulanʏm]	I am in the school.
Bókin er á borðinu.	[ˈpouːkɪn ɛr auː ˈpɔrðɪnʏ]	The book is on the table.
Hundurinn er undir rúminu.	[ˈhʏntʏrɪn ɛr ˈʏntɪr ˈruːmɪnʏ]	The dog is under the bed.
Fólkið er yfir hafinu.	[ˈfoulkɪð ɛr ˈiːvɪr ˈhaːvɪnʏ]	The people are over the sea.
Þetta er fyrir þig.	[ˈθɛtʰa ɛr ˈfɪrɪr θɪɡ]	This is for you.
Ég fer með vinum mínum.	[jɛɡ fɛr mɛð ˈvɪnʏm ˈmiːnʏm]	I go with my friends.
Hann kom án aðstoðar.	[han kʊm aʊn ˈahtsˌtɔr]	He came without help.
Við tölum um íslensku.	[vɪð ˈtʰœːlʏm ʏm ˈiːstlɛŋskʏ]	We talk about Icelandic.
Bókin er gegn veggnum.	[ˈpouːkɪn ɛr kɛɡn ˈvɛkŋʏm]	The book is against the wall.
Hún fer til Íslands.	[hʊn fɛr tɪl ˈiːslants]	She travels to Iceland.

Practice Exercises

Now that you’ve learned about common prepositions, it’s time to practice! Here are some exercises to help reinforce your understanding.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the appropriate preposition.

1. Ég er ___ skólanum.

2. Bókin er ___ borðinu.

3. Fólkið er ___ hafinu.

4. Þetta er ___ þig.

5. Ég fer ___ vinum mínum.

Solutions:

1. í

2. á

3. yfir

4. fyrir

5. með

Exercise 2: Identify the Case

Identify the case of the noun following the preposition in each sentence.

1. Ég er í skólanum.

2. Hún fer til Íslands.

3. Við tölum um íslensku.

4. Hann kom án aðstoðar.

5. Bókin er gegn veggnum.

Solutions:

1. Dative

2. Accusative

3. Accusative

4. Accusative

5. Accusative

Exercise 3: Translation Practice

Translate the following sentences into Icelandic.

1. The dog is in the garden.

2. We are going to the store.

3. This is for my sister.

4. They are sitting under the tree.

5. I have a book about Iceland.

Solutions:

1. Hundurinn er í garðinum.

2. Við erum að fara til verslunarinnar.

3. Þetta er fyrir systur mína.

4. Þeir sitja undir tréinu.

5. Ég á bók um Ísland.

Exercise 4: Sentence Formation

Create sentences using the provided prepositions.

1. undir

2. á móti

3. með

4. í kringum

5. fyrir ofan

Solutions:

1. Kötturinn er undir stólnum. (The cat is under the chair.)

2. Þeir eru á móti hugmyndinni. (They are against the idea.)

3. Ég fer með fjölskyldunni minni. (I go with my family.)

4. Ég geng í kringum húsið. (I walk around the house.)

5. Lampinn er fyrir ofan borðið. (The lamp is above the table.)

Exercise 5: Match the Prepositions

Match the Icelandic prepositions with their English translations.

1. í

2. á

3. eftir

4. án

5. gegn

A. without

B. after

C. in

D. on

E. against

Solutions:

1-C, 2-D, 3-B, 4-A, 5-E

Summary and Conclusion

In this lesson, we’ve explored the essential prepositions in Icelandic, their meanings, and the cases they govern. Understanding prepositions is a crucial step in mastering the language, as they help express relationships and create clear, meaningful sentences.

Be sure to practice using these prepositions in your conversations and writing. The more you use them, the more natural they will feel. Keep up the great work, and we look forward to seeing you in the next lesson!

Table of Contents - Icelandic Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Articles

• Personal Pronouns
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Present Tense Verbs

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

  ---

Everyday Activities

• Daily Routine
• Hobbies and Interests

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Adverbs Formation

  ---

Food and Dining

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Meals and Dining Out

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Question Words
• Negation

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Locations

  ---

Prepositions

• Common Prepositions
• Prepositional Phrases

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons and Months

  ---

Icelandic Culture and Traditions

• Icelandic Holidays
• Icelandic Music and Literature

Sources

• Genitive | Icelandic Grammar Reference
• Icelandic grammar - Wikipedia

Other Lessons

• Verbs
• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• 0 to A1 Course
• How to Use Have
• Negation
• Nouns
• Prepositions
• Adverbs

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