Hann gaf loforð í samtalinu og stóð við það.

He gave a promise in the conversation and kept it.

Breakdown of Hann gaf loforð í samtalinu og stóð við það.

• það: it
• hann: he
• í: in
• og: and

Questions & Answers about Hann gaf loforð í samtalinu og stóð við það.

Why is it gefa loforð (give a promise) and not gera loforð (make a promise)?

Because gefa loforð is the idiomatic collocation in Icelandic for “to make a promise.” Saying gera loforð sounds wrong. Alternatives include using a verb of promising: lofa (því að …) or heita (því að …).

What does stóð við það mean literally and idiomatically?

Literally, “he stood by it.” Idiomatically, it means “he kept it (the promise).” The pattern is standa við e-ð = “to keep/abide by something,” especially promises or agreements.

Why is the pronoun það used here, and why in that form?

It refers back to loforð, which is neuter, so the neuter pronoun það is used. The preposition við governs the accusative, and það is the accusative form (neuter nominative = accusative). You could also repeat the noun: stóð við loforðið.

Why is it í samtalinu with the ending -inu?

Í takes the dative for location (in/at), so samtal appears in the dative singular: samtali. The definite suffix -inu makes it “in the conversation,” i.e., a specific one known from context. Without definiteness it would be í samtali (“in a conversation”).