Auk þess að selja handverk í sölubásnum kaupir söluaðilinn safngripi.

It means besides, in addition to, or apart from.

In this sentence, Auk þess að selja handverk í sölubásnum introduces an extra action before the main verb:

• first action: selling handicrafts in the booth
• second action: buying collectibles

So the structure is roughly Besides selling ..., the vendor buys ...

Because auk is an old preposition-like word that goes with the genitive, and þess is the genitive form of það.

So, historically and grammatically, auk þess að is built as:

• auk = in addition to
• þess = of that
• að = introducing the infinitive or following clause

For a learner, the easiest approach is to treat auk þess að as a fixed expression meaning in addition to / besides.

Because after auk þess að, Icelandic often uses að + infinitive when the action is being presented in a general way, like English selling or to sell.

So:

• að selja = to sell / selling

Here it works much like English Besides selling handicrafts...

Because the subject of selja is understood to be the same as the subject of the main clause: söluaðilinn.

So the meaning is:

• The vendor, besides selling handicrafts in the booth, buys collectibles.

Icelandic often leaves the subject unspoken in infinitive phrases when it is the same as the main subject.

Because Icelandic is a verb-second (V2) language.

The opening phrase Auk þess að selja handverk í sölubásnum takes the first slot in the sentence. After that, the finite verb must come in the second position, so you get:

• Auk þess að ... kaupir söluaðilinn ...

If you started with the subject instead, the order would be:

• Söluaðilinn kaupir safngripi.

So this word order is normal Icelandic grammar, not inversion for emphasis in the English sense.

söluaðilinn is:

• nominative singular
• masculine
• definite

It is the subject of the verb kaupir.

Breakdown:

• söluaðili = seller / vendor / dealer
• -inn = the suffixed definite article, meaning the

So söluaðilinn means the seller/vendor.

Because í can take either dative or accusative, depending on meaning:

• dative = location, being in a place
• accusative = motion into a place

Here the meaning is location:

• í sölubásnum = in the sales booth

So dative is required.

Compare:

• í sölubásnum = in the booth
• í sölubásinn = into the booth

The ending -num shows dative singular definite.

Because handverk is a neuter noun, and its nominative singular and accusative singular look the same.

Here it is the object of selja, so it is in the accusative, but the spelling does not change.

Also, Icelandic often uses a singular or collective noun where English might use a plural. So handverk can function like handicrafts or craftwork, depending on context.

Because kaupa takes a direct object in the accusative, and safngripi is the accusative plural form.

The noun is:

• singular nominative: safngripur
• plural nominative: safngripir
• plural accusative: safngripi

So:

• safngripir = collectibles as a subject
• safngripi = collectibles as an object

Since the seller is buying them, the accusative safngripi is correct.

Icelandic uses compound nouns very often.

Here are the main ones:

• sölubásnum
  = sölu-

  • bás
    • ending
      roughly sales booth

• söluaðilinn
  = sölu-

  • aðili
    • ending
      roughly sales agent / vendor / seller

• safngripur
  = safn

  • gripur
    roughly collection-item / collectible

The element sölu- is a compound form related to sale/selling. In Icelandic, the first part of a compound often appears in a linking form like this.

kaupir is:

• present tense
• 3rd person singular
• from the verb kaupa = to buy

So it means buys.

Depending on context, Icelandic present tense can describe:

• a habitual action: the vendor buys collectibles
• a present-time action: the vendor is buying collectibles

Without more context, English usually translates it as simple present: buys.

Because Icelandic usually does not require a comma after a fronted phrase like this.

English often writes:

• Besides selling handicrafts in the booth, the vendor buys collectibles.

But in Icelandic, a comma there is usually unnecessary:

• Auk þess að selja handverk í sölubásnum kaupir söluaðilinn safngripi.

So the lack of a comma is normal Icelandic punctuation.