Breakdown of Nemendurnir safnast saman núna.
saman
together
núna
now
nemandinn
the student
safnast
to gather
Questions & Answers about Nemendurnir safnast saman núna.
What does Nemendurnir break down into, and why does it end in -nir?
Nemendurnir = nemendur (students) + the definite article “the” attached as a suffix.
- nemendur is the nominative plural of nemandi (student)
- -nir is one common masculine plural nominative definite ending, so nemendurnir means the students (as the subject of the sentence)
If you remove the article you get:
- Nemendur safnast saman núna. = Students are gathering now. (more general/indefinite)
Why is the verb safnast the same form as the dictionary form (infinitive)? Shouldn’t it be different?
For many Icelandic verbs, the 3rd person plural present tense looks identical to the infinitive.
- Infinitive: að safnast
- Present, þeir/þær/þau (they): (þeir) safnast
So in this sentence, Nemendurnir (they) + safnast is normal present-tense agreement.
What’s the difference between safna and safnast?