Við förum ekki út þegar það er myrkur.

We don't go out when it is dark.

Breakdown of Við förum ekki út þegar það er myrkur.

• vera: to be
• það: it
• ekki: not
• við: we
• fara: to go
• þegar: when
• út: out
• myrkur: dark

Questions & Answers about Við förum ekki út þegar það er myrkur.

Why is the negation ekki placed after the verb förum?

Icelandic main clauses are V2 (the finite verb is in second position). The order here is:

• Subject: Við
• Finite verb: förum
• Negation/adverbs: ekki
• Verb particle/directional adverb: út So Við förum ekki út is the normal order. Putting ekki before the verb or at the very end would be ungrammatical or at least very odd in neutral word order.

What’s the difference between út and úti?

• út = motion to the outside (go out). Use it with verbs of movement: fara út, hlaupa út, koma út.
• úti = location outside (be outside). Use it with stative verbs: vera úti, sitja úti.

In this sentence, förum is motion, so you need út.

What does það do in þegar það er myrkur? Do I have to say it?

það is a dummy or expletive subject (like English “it” in “it is cold”). Icelandic generally requires a subject, especially in weather/ambient statements: það er kalt, það rignir, það er myrkur.

You can sometimes omit það in a stylistic way (e.g., þegar dimmt er), but the neutral, everyday form includes það: þegar það er myrkur/dimmt.

Is myrkur a noun here? Could I also say það er myrkt or það er dimmt?

• myrkur is a neuter noun meaning “darkness,” so það er myrkur literally means “there is darkness/it is dark.” This is a common set phrase.
• myrkt is the neuter singular form of the adjective meaning “dark.”
• dimmt is another very common adjective meaning “dim/dark.”

All of these are idiomatic:

• það er myrkur (noun; very common),
• það er myrkt (adjective; also common),
• það er dimmt (adjective; very common and perhaps the most everyday).

How is the verb fara conjugated? What does förum correspond to?

fara is irregular (strong):

• Present: fer (1sg/3sg), ferð (2sg), förum (1pl), farið (2pl), fara (3pl)
• Past: fór, fórst, fór, fórum, fóruð, fóru
• Supine (with hafa): farið (e.g., ég hef farið)

förum is 1st person plural present: “we go.”

Can I move the þegar-clause to the front? Do I need a comma?

Yes: Þegar það er myrkur förum við ekki út. This is very natural. Many writers insert a comma after the subordinate clause—Þegar það er myrkur, förum við ekki út—but the comma is a stylistic choice in modern Icelandic, not strictly required.

Do I need to add þá after the þegar-clause (like þegar … þá …)?

No. þegar … þá … is common in speech and adds a bit of emphasis or clarity, but þá is optional. Your sentence is fine without it:

• Þegar það er myrkur (þá) förum við ekki út.

Where does ekki go if I add more material?

A handy order for main clauses is: Subject – finite verb – sentence adverbs – ekki – verb particles/directional adverbs – objects/PPs – time.

Examples:

• Við förum líklega ekki út í garðinn í kvöld.
• Þegar það er myrkur förum við alls ekki út. Avoid putting ekki after út at the end: Við förum út ekki sounds wrong.

Is út a preposition? How do I say “out of,” “out to,” etc.?

út here is a directional adverb/particle. To specify direction with a destination or source, combine it with a preposition:

• út í
  • accusative: motion into an open area (e.g., út í garðinn = out into the yard)
• út á
  • accusative: motion onto a surface/area (e.g., út á götu = out onto the street)
• út úr
  • dative: motion out of an enclosed space (e.g., út úr húsinu = out of the house)

Be careful with út af: it often means “because of” or “off (down) from,” not simply “out of.”

Pronunciation tips for tricky bits in the sentence?

• Við: final ð like English “th” in “this.”
• förum: ö like French “eu”; roll the r; the last syllable is short.
• ekki: kk is pre-aspirated; it sounds a bit like “eh-ki” with a little breath before the k.
• út: long ú like “oo” in “food,” followed by a clear t.
• þegar: þ like “th” in “thing”; roll the r; stress on the first syllable.
• það: final ð pronounced (and often links to the next word).
• myrkur: y sounds like i; the cluster rk is crisp, with a trilled/voiceless r before k.

Primary stress in Icelandic is on the first syllable of words.

Why is simple present used instead of something like English “are not going out”?

Icelandic doesn’t have a separate progressive tense the way English does. The simple present covers habitual/generic meaning here. Við förum ekki út naturally expresses a general rule or habit.

Why við and not okkur?

Við is the nominative subject form (we). Okkur is the object/dative form (us). Subjects normally appear in the nominative in Icelandic, so you need við with förum:

• Subject: við
• Object/dative: okkur
• Genitive: okkar