# Icelandic: Asking for a phone number



## Carbonifere

Hello,

Can someone please explain me what difference there is between these three questions, all asking for someone's phone number?

_1) Hvað er síminn hjá þér?
2) Hvað er síminn þinn?
3) Hvað er símanúmerið þitt?
_
Thanks a lot!


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## Segorian

1) and 3) both mean ‘What is your phone number?’
2) means ‘What is your phone?’ (In the sense ‘What *kind of thing*...’. A strange thing to ask, of course, but in the right context it might work.)


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## Carbonifere

You're right, 2) looks strange. Could it work while asking for the brand of the phone? Such as _"What kind of thing is your phone?" "A Samsung one"...
_
The last thing I don't understand is the meaning of the little word *hjá* in sentence 1). Is it a preposition? I can't find details about it.
Thanks.


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## Segorian

Carbonifere said:


> Could it work while asking for the brand of the phone? Such as _"What kind of thing is your phone?" "A Samsung one"..._


It could, especially in the context of a discussion about the specifics of different phones.



> The last thing I don't understand is the meaning of the little word *hjá* in sentence 1). Is it a preposition? I can't find details about it.


It is a preposition and means ‘near’, ‘next to’, ‘at’. Its use in relation to telephone numbers probably has to do with the fact that telephones were originally always ‘at’ someone’s home or place of work.


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## klandri

Carbonifere said:


> Hello,
> 
> Can someone please explain me what difference there is between these three questions, all asking for someone's phone number?
> 
> _1) Hvað er síminn hjá þér?
> 3) Hvað er símanúmerið þitt?
> _
> Thanks a lot!



Wanted to note that while _Hvað_ is common in colloquial use _Hver_ is more proper and "better" Icelandic. 
So if you were writing for a newspaper you'd always say:

1) _Hver er síminn hjá þér?_
3) _Hvert er símanúmerið þitt?_


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## Carbonifere

Okay, _Hvað_ is used in a dialog, and _Hver_ is used on paper. Thanks!


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## klandri

Carbonifere said:


> Okay, _Hvað_ is used in a dialog, and _Hver_ is used on paper. Thanks!



No, I didn't mean to give you that impression. There is nothing unusual about _Hver_ in casual conversation but you'd never use _Hvað_ if you're being formal.

So, _Hver_ dialog and paper, _Hvað_ only dialogue.
According to the strictest standards you "should" always use _hver_ but _hvað_ is becoming more common.


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## Carbonifere

My bad. But what written support could possibly accept _Hvað_?
Er _Hvað_ gótt í umræður á Netinu?


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## klandri

_Hvað_ gengur alltaf nema í formlegu eða vönduðu máli. _Hver_ er alltaf í lagi.


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## Thorey

All three sentences mean the same thing, some are just better than others, all being colloquial though. 
Number two has nothing to do with the type of phone you've got or anything like that.


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