Breakdown of Ég ætla að reikna tímann sem þarf til að klára verkefnið.
ég
I
tíminn
the time
ætla
to plan
til
to
reikna
to calculate
þurfa
to need
klára
to finish
verkefnið
the project
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Questions & Answers about Ég ætla að reikna tímann sem þarf til að klára verkefnið.
What does "Ég ætla að" mean, and why is "að" used after "ætla"?
"Ég" means "I", and "ætla" means "intend" or "plan". In Icelandic, when you express an intention with "ætla", you follow it with "að" plus an infinitive—in this case, "reikna" (calculate). This construction is similar to English phrases like "I plan to calculate."
Why is the noun "tímann" in the accusative form, and what is its role in the sentence?
"Tímann" is the definite form of "tími" (time) in the accusative case because it serves as the direct object of the verb "reikna" (calculate). In Icelandic, direct objects typically appear in the accusative form, which is why "tími" becomes "tímann" here.
How does the relative clause "sem þarf til að klára verkefnið" function, and what is the role of "sem" in it?
The clause "sem þarf til að klára verkefnið" is a relative clause that modifies "tímann". The word "sem" acts as a relative pronoun meaning "that" or "which." It introduces additional information about the time, specifying that this is the "time that is needed" in order to complete the project. Even though "tímann" is accusative in the main clause, the relative pronoun "sem" is used in the subordinate clause without reflecting that case directly.
What does the phrase "til að klára verkefnið" mean, and how is it structured?
"Til að" translates to "in order to." It is used to express purpose. In the phrase "til að klára verkefnið," "klára" is the infinitive verb meaning "to complete" (or finish), and "verkefnið" means "the project." Thus, this phrase explains why the time is being calculated—it specifies the purpose: "to complete the project."
What role does the verb "þarf" play in this sentence?
"Þarf" is the third-person singular form of the verb "þurfa," meaning "to need" or "be necessary." In the relative clause, it indicates that the calculated time is necessary for the task mentioned later. Essentially, it means "is needed" (i.e., the time that is needed to complete the project).