Ég ætla að reyna að skilja þetta.

I am going to try to understand this.

Breakdown of Ég ætla að reyna að skilja þetta.

• ég: I
• ætla: to intend
• reyna: to try
• skilja: to understand
• þetta: this

Questions & Answers about Ég ætla að reyna að skilja þetta.

What does the sentence Ég ætla að reyna að skilja þetta mean?

It means “I intend to try to understand this.” The sentence conveys that the speaker plans to attempt to understand something.

Why are there two occurrences of að in the sentence?

In Icelandic, að functions as an infinitive marker. The first að follows ætla (intend) and introduces reyna (try), while the second að follows reyna and introduces skilja (understand). Each verb that links to an infinitive construction requires its own að.

How is the nested structure of verbs organized in this sentence?

The sentence uses a layered or nested infinitive structure. Ætla is conjugated to indicate the speaker’s intention and is immediately followed by the infinitive reyna. Then, reyna is directly linked to the following infinitive skilja. This structure mirrors the English “I intend to try to…” format by stacking the verbal ideas.

What role does þetta play in the sentence?

Þetta translates to “this” and serves as the direct object of the verb skilja (understand). It specifies what is being attempted to be understood.

Is it common in Icelandic to have multiple verbs with their own að in one sentence?

Yes, it is quite common. Many Icelandic verbs that express intentions, desires, or actions (such as ætla and reyna) are followed by an infinitive marked with að. In sentences with nested actions, each level of the verb chain uses að to introduce its corresponding infinitive.