If you have just started learning Faroese, you have probably heard rumors about the grammar.

People might have told you it is difficult, or that the endings of words change constantly.

Well, I am here to tell you: Don’t panic.

Yes, Faroese has a grammar system that is different from English. It is very similar to Icelandic and Old Norse. But once you understand the logic behind it, it becomes much easier to use.

The two main things that confuse beginners are Genders and Cases.

Think of these as the skeleton of the language. If you get the skeleton right, the rest of the body holds together much better.

In this guide, I will explain exactly how they work in simple terms so you can start speaking with confidence.

The 3 genders: masculine, feminine, neuter

In English, objects usually do not have a gender. A chair is just “it”.

In Faroese, every single noun (person, place, or thing) has a gender. It is either Masculine, Feminine, or Neuter.

This does not mean the object is actually male or female. It is just a grammatical category. You need to know the gender because it changes the word for “a” (an article) and “the”.

Here is the rule for “A/An”:

• Masculine: ein
• Feminine: ein
• Neuter: eitt

Wait, did you notice that Masculine and Feminine look the same (ein)?

In the basic form, yes. But they change differently later on. The most important distinction for a beginner is between ein words (masculine/feminine) and eitt words (neuter).

Examples:

Bjarnfríð’s Tip: When you learn a new word in Faroese, don’t just learn the word. Learn the gender with it immediately. Don’t learn “hús” (house). Learn “eitt hús”. It will save you so much time later!

The 4 cases: what are they?

Now that you know words have genders, we have to talk about Cases.

In English, word order usually tells us who is doing what.

The dog bites the man. (The dog is the doer).

The man bites the dog. (The man is the doer).

In Faroese, the end of the word changes to tell you who is doing what. These changes are called cases.

There are four cases in Faroese:

1. Nominative: The subject (the person doing the action).
2. Accusative: The direct object (the person/thing being acted upon).
3. Dative: The indirect object (to whom/for whom), or used after certain prepositions.
4. Genitive: Possession (mostly used in formal writing or compounds nowadays).

Let’s look at how these work in real life.

How to use the nominative and accusative

These are the most common cases you will use.

The Nominative is the “default” form. It’s the form you find in the dictionary. You use it when the noun is the subject of the sentence.

The Accusative is used for the direct object.

Let’s look at the masculine word bátur (boat). Note that in Faroese, the definite article (“the”) is attached to the end of the word.

• Bátur = A boat
• Báturin = The boat

If the boat is just sitting there, it is Nominative. If you buy the boat, the boat is Accusative.

Did you see that? Báturin became Bátin.

Because “the boat” is the thing being seen, the ending changed. This tells a Faroese speaker that the boat is the object, not the subject.

Mastering the dative case

The Dative case is often the one that scares students, but it is actually quite consistent.

We use the Dative case in two main situations:

1. Indirect Object: If you give something to someone.
2. Prepositions: After words like úr (out of), í (in), frá (from), or hjá (at/with).

Let’s stick with our boat (báturin).

Notice the ending changed to -inum.

In the plural, the Dative is very easy. Almost every word in the Faroese language ends in -um in the Dative Plural.

Regional Variation Note: In spoken Faroese, especially in Tórshavn, many people accidentally use the Accusative instead of the Dative. This is sometimes called “Dative Sickness” by strict grammarians! However, to speak correct Faroese, you should try to use the Dative where it belongs.

What happened to the genitive?

The Genitive case shows possession (like the ‘s in English: The boat’s engine).

However, in modern spoken Faroese, we rarely use the Genitive case for normal possession. It is considered very formal or old-fashioned.

Instead, we use the preposition hjá (with/at) + the Dative case, or we simple combine words.

Old/Formal way:

• Húsá (The river’s)

Modern way:

• Áin hjá Jógvani (The river of Jógvan / Jógvan’s river).

You will mostly see the Genitive in compound words. For example, Føroyar (Faroe Islands) becomes Føroya in the Genitive.

• Føroya Banki (Bank of the Faroes).

Grammar tables (the definite article)

I know tables can be boring, but they are useful references.

Here is how the definite article (“the” attached to the end of the word) changes for the three genders.

I have selected three very common words:

1. Bátur (Boat) - Masculine
2. Genta (Girl) - Feminine
3. Barn (Child) - Neuter

Singular (The…)

Plural (The…)

Regional variations in pronunciation

When you are learning to speak, it helps to know that the spelling does not always match the sound perfectly. This is true for these grammar endings, too.

In the Dative ending -um (like bátinum or bátunum), we do not say “oom” like in “zoom”.

In most of the Faroe Islands, the -um ending is pronounced like -un (rhyming with “run”).

So í bátinum sounds like “ee boa-tin-un”.

However, in some villages, particularly in the south (Suðuroy), the dialect is different. But for standard learning and communication in Tórshavn, pronouncing it as -un is the safest bet.

Summary

Learning Faroese cases takes time. You will make mistakes, and that is okay! Even native speakers sometimes slip up.

Start by listening to the rhythm of the language. Focus on the Nominative (Subject) and Accusative (Object) first, as they appear most often.