dýrum

Dýrum is the dative plural form of the Icelandic noun dýr, meaning "animal." In Icelandic grammar, dýrum is used to mark the indirect object or the noun that is the recipient or target of a preposition that governs the dative case.

In modern Icelandic, nouns decline for case, number, and definiteness. The dative plural form dýrum is typically used when the action of the verb or a preposition involves multiple animals without specifying them as a definite group. The definite dative plural is dýrunum, which corresponds to "to the animals" or "for the animals" when the animals are understood as a specific group.

Examples help illustrate usage. For instance, Ég gaf dýrum mat means "I gave food to animals." Another sentence, Hún leiddi dýrunum inn í hús, translates to "She led the animals into the house." These examples show how dýrum and dýrunum function as indirect objects within sentences.

Etymology and related forms: dýrum derives from the Old Norse word dýr and shares common Germanic roots with related words in other Scandinavian languages. The dative plural ending is part of a broader pattern in Icelandic that marks grammatical roles rather than semantic changes, and it contrasts with the definite form dýrunum used when the animals are treated as a specific, identifiable set.

See also: Icelandic grammar, Dýr.