Ég kveiki á lampanum, svo les ég bók.

I turn on the lamp, then I read a book.

Breakdown of Ég kveiki á lampanum, svo les ég bók.

• ég: I
• bók: the book
• lesa: to read
• kveikja á: to turn on
• lampinn: the lamp
• svo: then

Questions & Answers about Ég kveiki á lampanum, svo les ég bók.

What does the verb phrase in Ég kveiki á lampanum literally mean?

Kveikja á + dative is the idiomatic way to say to turn on (a device/light) in Icelandic. So Ég kveiki á lampanum = I turn on the lamp. Here, á is required by the verb in this meaning; it’s not optional.

Why is it á lampanum and not just lampann?

For switching on/off devices, Icelandic uses the pattern kveikja á + dative / slökkva á + dative. The noun therefore goes in the dative (and is often definite if you mean a particular lamp): lampanum. Using a bare direct object (kveikja lampann) would mean “light the lamp” (with a flame), and sounds odd for an electric lamp.

What case is lampanum, and how is that form built?

Lampanum is dative singular, definite:

• Base noun: lampi (masc.)
• Dative singular (indefinite): lampa
• Add the definite article suffix for masc. dative sg: -num
• Result: lampanum = the lamp (dative)

Does á always take the dative?

No. Á takes:

• Dative for location/state or in set verb phrases like kveikja á e-u (turn on something), slökkva á e-u (turn off something).
• Accusative for motion onto/onto a surface, e.g., Ég set bók á borðið (I put a book onto the table).

Could I ever say Ég kveiki lampann?

Yes, but only if you mean “I light the lamp” with a flame (like an oil lamp). For modern electric devices, stick to kveikja á + dat. Example: Ég kveiki á ljósinu (I turn on the light).

Why is the lamp definite (lampanum) but the book is indefinite (bók)?

You typically turn on a specific lamp in the room (hence definite: lampanum). But you might read any book (indefinite: bók). If you mean a specific book, you’d say Ég les bókina (I read the book).

What does svo mean here, and how is it different from þá or síðan?

Here svo means then/after that (sequence). Nuances:

• svo = then/so, a neutral sequential adverb; very common in narration.
• þá = then/at that time; often ties more to a specific time already established.
• síðan = since then/afterwards; emphasizes the following step or time gap. All three can work; svo is the most neutral. You can also say og svo = and then.

Why is there a comma before svo?

You have two main clauses. In Icelandic, it’s standard to separate such clauses with a comma when they’re simply juxtaposed or linked by an adverb like svo. You’ll commonly see: …, svo ….

Why is it Svo les ég… and not Svo ég les…?

Icelandic is a verb‑second (V2) language in main clauses. Whatever comes first (here svo) is followed by the finite verb in second position (les), and the subject (ég) comes after that: Svo les ég….

Do I have to repeat ég in the second clause? Can I drop it?

You generally must state the subject in Icelandic; it’s not a “pro‑drop” language. So keep ég: …, svo les ég bók. Omitting it (e.g., svo les bók) changes the meaning or becomes ungrammatical.

Why is it les and not lesa?

Les is the 1st person singular present form of lesa (to read). Mini‑paradigm (present):

• ég les
• þú lest
• hann/hún/það les
• við lesum
• þið lesið
• þau/þeir/þær lesa

What case is bók, and why is there no article “a” or “the”?

Bók is the direct object of lesa, so it’s accusative singular feminine. This noun is the same in nom./acc. singular (bók). Icelandic has no separate word for the indefinite article (“a”): indefiniteness is just the bare noun. The definite article is a suffix: bókin (nom. sg.), bókina (acc. sg.).

How would I say “Turn off the lamp”?

Use slökkva á + dative:

• Statement: Ég slökkti á lampanum. (I turned off the lamp.)
• Command: Slökktu á lampanum! (Turn off the lamp!)

Can I say Ég er að lesa bók instead of Ég les bók?

Yes. Ég er að lesa bók corresponds to English “I am reading a book” (ongoing right now). Ég les bók is simple present; in narratives of steps (turn on, then read) it’s perfectly natural for sequential actions. To emphasize “about to start,” you can say Ég fer að lesa bók (I’m about to read a book).

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• Ég: the g is a soft, fricative sound; many learners hear it as a light “gh.”
• kveiki: kv cluster; ei is like the vowel in English “say” but as a single Icelandic diphthong.
• á: pronounced like the “ow” in “cow.”
• lampanum: stress the first syllable; the mp cluster is pronounced as written.
• les: long, clear vowel; final s is voiceless.
• bók: the ó is a long “oh,” ending with k.

Can I use kveikja á with other devices?

Yes, it’s the normal pattern:

• kveikja á ljósinu (turn on the light)
• kveikja á sjónvarpinu (turn on the TV)
• kveikja á tölvunni (turn on the computer)
• Opposite: slökkva á … (turn off …)

Is ég always lowercase inside a sentence? English capitalizes “I.”

Correct—unlike English, Icelandic does not capitalize the first-person singular pronoun in the middle of a sentence. So Ég …, svo les ég … is normal: capital Ég at the start of the sentence, lowercase ég later.

Can I rearrange the connectors, e.g., use og svo or place svo elsewhere?

Yes:

• Ég kveiki á lampanum og svo les ég bók. (and then)
• Svo kveiki ég á lampanum og les bók. (Then I turn on the lamp and read a book.) Just keep the V2 rule in each main clause: the finite verb stays in second position.