Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Hann snertir skjáinn til að svara skilaboðum. - He touches the screen to answer messages.

It means “He touches the screen to answer messages.” Here, each word contributes to the meaning: Hann means “he”, snertir is “touches”, skjáinn denotes “the screen” (with the definite article attached as a suffix), and til að svara skilaboðum expresses the purpose “to answer messages.”

What role does til að play in the sentence?

Til að is used to introduce a purpose clause. It literally means “in order to” and is followed by an infinitive—in this case, svara (“answer”). This structure explains why the subject performs the action, similar to how we use “to” in English phrases like “to answer messages.”

Why is the object written as skjáinn instead of simply skjár?

In Icelandic, the definite article isn’t a separate word; it’s attached to the noun as a suffix. Skjáinn is the definite form of skjár, meaning “the screen.” This suffix indicates that the noun is specific, much like adding “the” before a noun in English.

Why is skilaboðum in the dative case?

The verb svara governs the dative case in Icelandic. That means when you answer or reply (as with svara skilaboðum), the noun receiving the action is placed in the dative. Skilaboðum is the dative plural form of skilaboð (“message”), making it grammatically correct in this context.

Can you explain the form of the verb snertir and how it agrees with the subject?

Snertir is the third person singular present tense form of the verb snerta (“to touch”). It agrees with the subject Hann (meaning “he”), ensuring proper subject–verb agreement in Icelandic.

How is the purpose clause structured in this sentence?

The purpose clause is built by placing til að before an infinitive verb. In this sentence, til að is immediately followed by svara, which, together with skilaboðum, explains the purpose of the main action. This is similar to English constructions like “in order to answer messages” or simply “to answer messages.”

Are there any alternative translations or nuances for words like snertir and svara?

Yes, context can allow for slight variations in translation. For instance, snertir might be rendered as “taps” in contexts where the contact is light, while svara could be translated as “reply” depending on context. Despite these nuances, the overall structure and intended meaning of the sentence remain the same.