fleirtöluform

Fleirtöluform, in Icelandic grammar, refers to the form a word takes to indicate plurality. It is used for nouns and adjectives, and is reflected in pronouns and numerals that agree in number with the noun they modify. A plural form marks that there are more than one item or individual, and it interacts with grammatical case and definiteness.

Plural forms are produced in several ways: most nouns form a plural by adding an ending to the stem, but there can also be vowel alternations and irregular patterns. Nouns belong to declension classes, which determine the exact plural ending. Some words have irregular plurals that do not resemble the singular in any predictable way.

Common regular plurals provide a sense of the pattern. For example, the masculine noun hundur (dog) forms the plural hundar (dogs). The neuter noun barn (child) has the widely used irregular plural börn (children). Adjectives agree with the noun in number, so a phrase like góður hundur becomes góðir hundar in the plural.

Definiteness affects the plural as well. Icelandic marks definiteness differently in singular and plural, and the definite plural form often involves additional suffixes or determiners. The indefinite plural uses the base plural form, while the definite plural marks a specific group.

Overall, fleirtöluform is central in Icelandic grammar. Mastery requires understanding declension classes and irregular plurals, and ensuring adjectives and determiners agree with the plural noun.