Hún undirbýr fundinn fyrirfram og stendur við loforð sitt.

She prepares the meeting in advance and keeps her promise.

Breakdown of Hún undirbýr fundinn fyrirfram og stendur við loforð sitt.

• hún: she
• og: and
• sinn: her
• fundurinn: the meeting

Questions & Answers about Hún undirbýr fundinn fyrirfram og stendur við loforð sitt.

Why is the reflexive possessive sitt used here instead of hennar?

Sitt (from the reflexive set sinn/sín/sitt) means “her own” and refers back to the subject of the clause, Hún. So stendur við loforð sitt = “keeps her own promise.” If you use hennar, it means “her (someone else’s) promise,” i.e., not the subject’s. Compare:

• Hún stendur við loforð sitt. = She keeps her own promise.
• Hún stendur við loforð hennar. = She keeps her promise (belonging to some other woman).

Why is fundinn in that form?

Fundinn is the definite accusative singular of the masculine noun fundur (meeting). The verb undirbúa takes a direct object, so the object is accusative; because it’s “the meeting,” it’s definite:

• Nom. sg. (subject): fundurinn
• Acc. sg. (object): fundinn The base indefinite forms are: nom. fundur, acc. fund, dat. fundi, gen. fundar.

What does the verb phrase standa við mean, and how does it work?

Standa við is an idiom meaning “to keep/abide by” (a promise, agreement, plan, etc.). The preposition/particle við takes the accusative. In this sentence the object is loforð (accusative), and because it’s neuter, its acc. form looks the same as the nominative. So: stendur við loforð sitt = “keeps her promise.” Don’t confuse with:

• standa með = “stand with, support.”

Why is it and not the infinitive ?