Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Við ætlum að byrja núna.

Ætlum is the first-person plural form of the verb að ætla, which means to intend. It confirms that the subject við (we) is planning or about to perform an action.

Why is the particle að placed before byrja, and how does that affect the sentence structure?

In Icelandic, the particle að is used before an infinitive verb. Just like the word to in English (as in to start), að connects the main verb with its following infinitive. So ætlum að byrja expresses intend to start.

What role does núna play in the sentence, and is its position typical in Icelandic?

Núna means now. It functions as a time adverb indicating the immediacy of the action. Placing it at the end of the sentence is common in Icelandic, though adverbs can sometimes be moved for emphasis or stylistic reasons.

How does the structure of Við ætlum að byrja núna. compare with its English equivalents?

The structure is similar in that it starts with the subject (við = we), followed by a modal expression of intent (ætlum), then a particle (að) preceding the infinitive (byrja = start), and finally a time modifier (núna = now). While English might say "We are going to start now" or "We intend to start now," Icelandic uses a straightforward modal plus infinitive construction.

Can you express the same idea without using the construction ætlum að?

Yes, you can. A more direct version is Við byrjum núna, which translates as "We are starting now." However, using ætlum að byrja emphasizes the intent or plan to start rather than an immediate action.

Are constructions like ætlum að common in Icelandic, and do they have parallels in English?

Absolutely. The structure of a verb expressing intention (or future plan) followed by að and an infinitive is very common in Icelandic. This is parallel to English constructions like "are going to" or "intend to," which also combine a modal idea with the base form of the verb to indicate future intention.