Við tölum við skipstjórann.

Because the two instances of við are doing different jobs:

• Við at the beginning = the pronoun we
• við before skipstjórann = the preposition to / with, depending on context

So even though they look identical, they are different words.

In Við tölum við skipstjórann, the structure is:

• Við = we
• tölum = talk / speak
• við skipstjórann = to the captain

This is very common in Icelandic, and native speakers are not confused by it because the grammar makes the roles clear.

Tölum is the 1st person plural present tense form of the verb að tala (to speak, to talk).

So:

• ég tala = I speak
• þú talar = you speak
• við tölum = we speak

In this sentence, tölum matches the subject við (we).

The dictionary form is að tala.

That verb can mean:

• to speak
• to talk

In this sentence, að tala við einhvern is a very common pattern meaning to talk to someone.

Because the preposition við here takes the accusative case, so the noun has to appear in the accusative.

Here are the relevant forms:

• skipstjóri = captain (indefinite nominative)
• skipstjórinn = the captain (definite nominative)
• skipstjórann = the captain (definite accusative)

Since the phrase is við + accusative, Icelandic uses:

• við skipstjórann

So the ending -ann shows that skipstjórinn has changed into the accusative form.

Skipstjórann means the captain in the accusative singular.

It comes from:

• skipstjóri = captain

This is a masculine noun, and when it is definite (the captain) and in the accusative singular, it becomes:

• skipstjórann

So the noun ending tells you both:

• it is definite (the)
• it is in the accusative case

It can mean either, depending on context.

Icelandic present tense often covers both:

• We talk to the captain
• We are talking to the captain

Unlike English, Icelandic does not usually need a separate continuous form like are talking. The simple present often does both jobs.

Not always. Við can take different cases depending on meaning, but in the pattern að tala við einhvern (to talk to someone), it takes the accusative.

So here:

• við skipstjórann = to the captain

For a learner, the safest approach is to learn the whole expression:

• að tala við einhvern = to talk to someone

That way you naturally remember the case that goes with it.

Normally, Icelandic includes the subject pronoun, so Við tölum við skipstjórann is the standard full sentence.

If you say Tölum við skipstjórann? with a question intonation or question mark, it usually means:

• Shall we talk to the captain?
• Are we talking to the captain? depending on context

So leaving out við can change the feel or function of the sentence. For a normal statement, keeping Við is the best choice.

The basic word order is:

• Subject + Verb + Prepositional phrase

So:

• Við = subject
• tölum = verb
• við skipstjórann = prepositional phrase

This is a very normal Icelandic sentence pattern.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

Vith TOE-lum vith SKIP-styour-ann

A few helpful notes:

• ð in við is usually like the th in this
• ö in tölum is somewhat like the vowel in French peur or German schön, though there is no exact English match
• j in skipstjórann sounds like English y

If you want to sound natural, try to say it with the stress mainly on the first syllable of each content word:

• VIÐ TÖ-lum við SKIP-stjó-rann

Yes. Að tala við einhvern is one of the most common and natural ways to say to talk to someone.

Examples:

• Ég tala við kennarann. = I talk to the teacher.
• Við tölum við skipstjórann. = We talk to the captain.
• Hún talaði við mig. = She talked to me.

So this sentence is built from a very useful everyday pattern.