Ég kveiki á ljósinu.

I turn on the light.

Breakdown of Ég kveiki á ljósinu.

• ég: I
• ljósið: the light
• kveikja á: to turn on

Questions & Answers about Ég kveiki á ljósinu.

Why is there an á before ljósinu?

In Icelandic, the verb kveikja meaning to turn on is always used with the preposition á when you talk about switching on lights, appliances, etc. That á introduces what you turn on and governs the dative case.

What case is ljósinu, and why does it end in -inu?

Ljósinu is the definite dative singular of ljós (a neuter noun).

• The preposition á here requires the dative.
• The ending -inu is the enclitic article marking both dative and definiteness.

Does kveikja always take á, or can it be used without it?

It depends on the meaning:

• When you want to turn on (lights, radio, etc.), you must say kveikja á
  • dative.
• When you mean to ignite or light something (like a fire or candle), you use kveikja transitively with an accusative direct object (e.g. Hann kveikti eldinn. – He lit the fire.).

Can I drop the subject pronoun ég and just say Kveiki á ljósinu?

Yes. Icelandic verbs carry person/number endings, so the pronoun is optional if context is clear.

• Kveiki á ljósinu is perfectly grammatical and means the same, though adding ég can add clarity or emphasis.

How do you conjugate kveikja in the present tense for other persons?

Present tense of kveikja:

• Ég kveiki
• Þú kveikir
• Hann/hún/það kveikir
• Við kveikum
• Þið kveikið
• Þeir/þær/þau kveikja

How do I say “I turn off the light”?

Use the verb slökkva in the same construction:

• Ég slökkvi á ljósinu. (I turn off the light.)

How do I form the command “Turn on the light!” and “Don’t turn on the light!”?

Affirmative imperative (2nd singular):

• Kveiktu á ljósinu! (Turn on the light!)
  Negative imperative uses the infinitive with ekki first:
• Ekki kveikja á ljósinu! (Don’t turn on the light!)

How do I say “I turned on the light” in the past tense?

Use the preterite stem kveikti:

• Ég kveikti á ljósinu. (I turned on the light.)