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Questions & Answers about Augnablikið líður hratt.
What does Augnablikið literally mean and what’s its idiomatic translation?
Augnablikið is a compound of augn- (genitive of auga, “eye”) + blik (“blink”) plus the definite article -ið. Literally it’s “the blink of the eye,” and idiomatically it means “an instant” or “a very short moment.”
Why is there a -ið at the end of Augnablikið?
In Icelandic the definite article is attached as a suffix to the noun. For neuter singular nouns that suffix is -ið. So augnablik (“(an) instant”) becomes augnablikið (“the instant”).
What case is augnablikið in, and what is its role in the sentence?
Augnablikið is nominative singular neuter and serves as the subject of the sentence.
What kind of verb is líða, and what does líður mean here?
Líða is an intransitive verb that means “to pass” (of time, moments, etc.). Líður is the 3rd person singular present-tense form, so it means “passes.”
Why is hratt used, and is it an adjective or an adverb?
Hratt is an adverb meaning “quickly” or “fast.” It modifies the verb líður. In Icelandic many adverbs look like the neuter form of adjectives.
Could you give a natural English translation of the sentence?
A very idiomatic way is “It goes by in the blink of an eye.” You might also see “The blink of an eye passes quickly,” but the first is more common.
How do you decline augnablik in the singular?
Singular indefinite:
Nominative/Accusative augnablik
Dative augnabliki
Genitive augnabliks
Singular definite (with -ið):
Nominative/Accusative augnablikið
Dative augnablikinu
Genitive augnabliksins
How do you pronounce augnablikið?
Roughly “OYG-na-blee-kith.” In IPA you’ll see something like [ˈœiɣnaˌpliːcɪð], with primary stress on the first syllable.
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