staðnum

Staðnum is the dative singular form of the Icelandic noun staður, meaning “place” or “location.” It appears in phrases where a specific site is being referred to and is used with prepositions that require the dative case, most commonly in expressions like á staðnum (“at the site”) or í staðnum (“in the site,” though the former is far more common in contemporary use). The form is part of Icelandic noun declension and marks the location of an action or event.

Etymology and related forms: The word staður derives from Old Norse staðr and is related to cognate terms in other Nordic languages. The root sta- appears in various location-related words in Icelandic, such as staðsetning, meaning “location” or “situating.”

Usage: In everyday Icelandic, staðnum identifies a particular place that is already known or has been mentioned in the discourse. It is frequently used in narrative, instruction, and descriptions to specify where something occurs or is located. Because it is a dative form, its use depends on the governing preposition or grammatical construction requiring the dative case.

Examples:

- Við komum á staðnum klukkan þrjú. (We arrive at the site at three o’clock.)

- Verkið verður kynnt á staðnum. (The project will be presented at the site.)

Notes: Like other Icelandic nouns, staðnum changes with case and number; this form specifically marks the dative singular. It should not be confused with staðurinn (the place, nominative) or other cases of the noun.

See also: staður, staðsetning.