Level A1
There are four cases in Icelandic. The second case in the declension table is known as the “accusative case”.[a] It shows that the word is having something done to it.
The helper word you use to force a word into the second case is „um“ (“about”).

Things that cause the second case

The following prepositions always cause the second case:
  • um (about)
  • gegnum (through)
  • kringum (around)
And these prepositions can either cause the second or the third case depending on context (click here to see the difference):
  • á (onto)
  • eftir (after)
  • fyrir (for)
  • í (into)
  • með (with)
  • undir (under)
  • við (by)
  • yfir (over)
The majority of verbs cause the second case. Among common verbs that do so are:
  • að eiga (to own)
  • að hafa (to have)
  • að tala (to speak)
  • að geta (to be able to)
  • að vilja (to want)
Footnotes
  • a. On Ylhýra we refer to it as the “second case” for simplicity’s sake since you will always see these four cases listed in the same order in the declension table.
    In Icelandic the first case is called þolfall and is abbreviated as þf. Þolfall literally means “suffering/enduring case”. The English name “accusative” means “having been blamed” in Latin.
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