Ef hávaðinn verður of mikill, þá leitum við að þögn.

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Breakdown of Ef hávaðinn verður of mikill, þá leitum við að þögn.

• verða: to become
• of: too
• ef: if

Questions & Answers about Ef hávaðinn verður of mikill, þá leitum við að þögn.

What is the function of Ef in this sentence?

Ef is a subordinating conjunction meaning “if.” It introduces the conditional clause Ef hávaðinn verður of mikill and links it to the main clause.

Why is hávaðinn in the nominative and marked definite (with -inn)?

hávaðinn is the subject of the clause and appears in nominative singular. The ending -inn is the definite article suffix (“the noise”). Here it refers to “the (ambient) noise” rather than any noise in general.

Why does the verb verður follow hávaðinn instead of appearing at the end?

In Icelandic subordinate clauses introduced by Ef, the finite verb still occupies the second position (V2), just like in main clauses. So the order is Subject–Verb (hávaðinn verður), not with the verb at the very end.

Why is the present tense verður used instead of a future construction like mun verða?

Icelandic often uses the present tense verður (“becomes/will become”) to express a future event. The auxiliary mun is optional and more emphatic. Here verður alone conveys “if the noise becomes/gets too loud.”

What does of mean in of mikill, and why isn’t the adjective neuter?