Af hverju geturðu það ekki?

Why can’t you do that?

Breakdown of Af hverju geturðu það ekki?

• þú: you
• ekki: not
• geta: to be able
• af hverju: why
• það: that

Questions & Answers about Af hverju geturðu það ekki?

What does Af hverju mean and how is it used in this sentence?

Af hverju translates directly to "why" in English. It is used at the beginning of the sentence to introduce a question about the reason or cause behind an action, much like "why" does in English.

How is geturðu constructed and what does it convey?

geturðu is the second-person singular form of the verb geta, which means "to be able to" or "can". It blends the conjugated verb getur with the pronoun þú (meaning "you"), resulting in the meaning "can you".

What is the function of það in the sentence?

það is a neuter pronoun that means "it". In this sentence, it serves as the object, referring to the action or thing that the learner is understood to be incapable of performing.

Why is the negation ekki placed at the end of the sentence?

In Icelandic, negative particles like ekki are often positioned at the end of a clause or sentence. This arrangement differs from English, where "not" usually appears immediately after the auxiliary verb. Here, ekki at the end negates the entire ability expressed by geturðu.

Does this sentence use a formal or informal style, and what indicates that?

The sentence is written in an informal style. This is indicated by the use of þú, the informal singular form for "you", which is typical in everyday conversation rather than in formal contexts.