Fyrirtækið þarf fé.

Questions & Answers about Fyrirtækið þarf fé.

Why is the attached to fyrirtæki instead of being a separate word?

In Icelandic, the definite article is usually suffixed to the noun.

  • fyrirtæki = company
  • fyrirtækið = the company

So Icelandic often says the equivalent of company-the rather than using a separate word like English the.

Here, -ið is the definite ending for this neuter noun in the singular.

What does fyrirtækið break down into?

It breaks down as:

  • fyrirtæki = company
  • -ið = the

So:

  • fyrirtækið = the company

The noun fyrirtæki is neuter. In this sentence, fyrirtækið is the subject, so it is in the nominative singular.

Why is þarf used here? What form of the verb is it?

þarf is the 3rd person singular present form of the verb þurfa, which means to need.

Conjugation in the present tense looks like this:

  • ég þarf = I need
  • þú þarft = you need
  • hann/hún/það þarf = he/she/it needs

Since fyrirtækið = the company is a singular subject, Icelandic uses þarf:

  • Fyrirtækið þarf fé. = The company needs money/capital.
Why is it fé and not some plural word meaning money?

Fé is often used as a mass noun, like English money.
Mass nouns usually do not need a plural when you mean the substance or concept in general.

So:

  • fé = money, funds, capital, wealth depending on context

In this sentence, it means something like:

  • money
  • funding
  • capital

So Icelandic is working much like English here: The company needs money, not The company needs moneys.

What case is fé, and why?

Fé is the object of the verb þarf, and the verb þurfa normally takes an accusative object.

So in this sentence:

  • Fyrirtækið = nominative subject
  • fé = accusative object

A useful thing to know is that for some neuter nouns, the nominative and accusative forms are the same, so you may not see a visible change in the noun itself.

What case is fyrirtækið?

Fyrirtækið is in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the sentence.

It is the thing doing the needing:

  • The company needs money.

So:

  • subject → nominative
  • direct object after þurfa → accusative
Is the word order special here?

This sentence has a very straightforward word order:

  • Fyrirtækið = subject
  • þarf = verb
  • fé = object

So it follows a basic Subject–Verb–Object pattern:

  • The company / needs / money

That said, Icelandic is also a verb-second language, so in many sentences the finite verb tends to stay in the second position. Here, since the subject comes first, the result looks very similar to English.

How do you pronounce þarf and the letter þ?

The letter þ is pronounced like the th in thing, not like the th in this.

So:

  • þarf begins with the same kind of sound as think

A rough pronunciation guide:

  • þarf ≈ tharf with the th of thin

The a here is not exactly like English a, but that approximation is good enough for a beginner.

How do you pronounce fyrirtækið and fé?

A rough beginner-friendly guide:

  • fyrirtækið ≈ FI-rihr-tie-kith
  • fé ≈ fyeh or fye

A few helpful notes:

  • y in Icelandic is pronounced like i, not like English y
  • æ is roughly like eye
  • é is roughly like yeh after the consonant

These are only approximations, but they can help you start reading the sentence aloud.

Does fé only mean money?

Not always. Fé can have several related meanings depending on context, including:

  • money
  • wealth
  • capital
  • sometimes even livestock in older or specific contexts

In Fyrirtækið þarf fé, the natural meaning is clearly something like:

  • The company needs money
  • The company needs funds
  • The company needs capital

So context tells you which sense is intended.

What are the dictionary forms of the words in this sentence?

The dictionary forms are:

  • fyrirtæki = company
  • þurfa = to need
  • fé = money, capital, wealth

The sentence uses:

  • fyrirtækið = definite form of fyrirtæki
  • þarf = present singular form of þurfa
  • fé = noun in the same visible form as its dictionary entry
Can this sentence also mean The business needs funding/capital?

Yes. Even if the basic meaning shown to the learner is The company needs money, the Icelandic sentence can also suggest:

  • The business needs funds
  • The company needs capital
  • The enterprise needs financing

That is because fyrirtæki can mean company/business/enterprise, and fé can mean money/funds/capital depending on context.

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