Breakdown of Ég kveiki á útvarpinu á morgnana.
ég
I
kveikja á
to turn on
útvarpið
the radio
á morgnana
in the mornings
Questions & Answers about Ég kveiki á útvarpinu á morgnana.
What does kveiki á mean in this sentence?
kveiki is the first-person singular present of kveikja (“to spark/light”). When you add the preposition á, you get the phrasal verb kveikja á, which means “to turn on” (an electrical device).
Why is útvarpinu in the dative case, and why does it end with -inu?
The preposition á in the verb phrase kveikja á governs the dative. In Icelandic, the definite article is suffixed to the noun rather than placed before it. útvarp is a neuter noun. Its nominative/accusative definite form is útvarpið, but in the dative singular it becomes útvarpinu (neuter + -inu).
What case is morgnana, and why do we say á morgnana instead of another form?
á morgnana is the standard, idiomatic way to say “in the mornings”. Here morgnana is the accusative plural of morgunn with a slight irregular twist. á + accusative-plural expressions signal habitual or repeated actions. You will also hear á morgnunum (dative plural definite), but á morgnana is more colloquial and extremely common.
Can I move á morgnana to another position in the sentence?