Question 1

What tense is the verb in Við förum, and does it mean “we are going” or “we go”?

Accepted Answer

Förum is the present indicative, 1st person plural of fara “to go.” Icelandic uses the simple present both for habitual actions and for near-future plans, so Við förum á ströndina can mean either “we go to the beach” or “we’re going to the beach” depending on context. To emphasize “right now,” use the progressive: Við erum að fara á ströndina (“we are in the process of going to the beach”).

Present of fara:
- ég fer
- þú ferð
- hann/hún/það fer
- við förum
- þið farið
- þeir/þær/þau fara

Question 2

Why is it á ströndina and not á ströndinni?

Accepted Answer

Because á takes:
- the accusative for motion/destination (to/onto): á ströndina (“to the beach”),
- the dative for location (at/on): á ströndinni (“on the beach”).

Here we’re moving toward the beach, so it’s accusative.

Question 3

What does the -ina ending in ströndina mean?

Accepted Answer

It’s the suffixed definite article in the accusative singular feminine: strönd (a beach) → ströndina (the beach). Other common forms:
- nominative definite: ströndin
- dative definite: ströndinni
- genitive definite: strandarinnar
Base noun: strönd (fem.).

Question 4

What does þrátt fyrir að mean exactly?

Accepted Answer

It means “despite (the fact) that / even though” and introduces a full clause:
- þrátt fyrir að vindurinn sé sterkur = “even though the wind is strong.”

Without a clause, use þrátt fyrir + a noun (accusative):
- þrátt fyrir vindinn = “despite the wind.”

Question 5

Why is it sé and not er in að vindurinn sé sterkur?

Accepted Answer

Sé is the present subjunctive of vera (“to be”). Concessive structures like þrátt fyrir að, þó að, and þótt typically trigger the subjunctive in Icelandic. It signals something contrary to expectation. Using er (indicative) occurs in casual speech, but sé is the standard, idiomatic choice.

Present subjunctive of vera:
- ég sé, þú sért, hann/hún/það sé, við séum, þið séuð, þeir/þær/þau séu

Question 6

Is it acceptable to say þrátt fyrir að vindurinn er sterkur?

Accepted Answer

You’ll hear it in informal speech, but it’s better style (and what you’ll see in careful writing) to use the subjunctive: þrátt fyrir að vindurinn sé sterkur.

Question 7

Can I put the concessive part first?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you front the concessive clause/phrase, the main clause keeps verb-second order:
- Þrátt fyrir að vindurinn sé sterkur, förum við á ströndina.
- Þrátt fyrir vindinn förum við á ströndina.

Question 8

Do I need the comma before þrátt fyrir að?

Accepted Answer

A comma before a following subordinate clause is common and perfectly correct. Modern usage is flexible; you’ll see both with and without a comma. You’re always safe including it: …, þrátt fyrir að …

Question 9

What’s the difference between þrátt fyrir að and þó að / þótt?

Accepted Answer

- þrátt fyrir að = “despite the fact that,” followed by a finite clause (subjunctive preferred).
- þó að / þótt = “although/even though,” also followed by a clause (subjunctive preferred).
They’re near-synonyms; þó að/þótt is very common in everyday speech. Þrátt fyrir without að must take a noun phrase in the accusative.

Question 10

How should I pronounce the tricky letters here?

Accepted Answer

- þ (as in þrátt, þrátt fyrir): voiceless “th,” like English “thin.”
- ð (as in við, að): voiced “th,” like “this.”
- á (as in á ströndina): a diphthong roughly like the “ow” in “cow.”
- ö (as in förum, strönd): like German “ö” or French “eu.”
- é (as in sé): pronounced with a y-glide, roughly “yeh” (so sé ≈ “s-yeh”).

Question 11

Why is sterkur in that form? Should it agree with vindurinn?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Predicate adjectives agree with the subject in gender, number, and case. Vindurinn is masculine nominative singular, so the adjective is nominative masculine singular: sterkur. If the subject were plural, you’d use sterkir, etc.

Question 12

Why is it vindurinn and not vindur?

Accepted Answer

Vindurinn is the definite form (“the wind”), acting as the subject of the clause. You might use the indefinite vindur when speaking generally. In a þrátt fyrir phrase with a noun, you’ll often see the accusative definite: þrátt fyrir vindinn (“despite the wind”).

Question 13

Can I avoid the clause and say the same thing with a noun phrase?

Accepted Answer

Yes:
- Við förum á ströndina, þrátt fyrir vindinn.
or
- … þrátt fyrir mikinn vind (“despite strong wind”).
Note the accusative after þrátt fyrir: vindinn, mikinn vind, slæmt veður, etc.

Question 14

Could I say til strandarinnar instead of á ströndina?

Accepted Answer

Not for the usual “go to the beach.” Idiomatic Icelandic is fara á ströndina. Til (“to, towards”) with the genitive (til strandarinnar) points more to a destination in an abstract or directional sense and is less natural here.

Question 15

What’s the difference between Við förum á ströndina and Við ætlum að fara á ströndina?

Accepted Answer

- Við förum …: plain present; can express a plan or scheduled/near-future action.
- Við ætlum að fara …: emphasizes intention (“we intend/plan to go”).
Both are common; choose based on whether you want to highlight intent.

Question 16

What happens if I drop við and just say Förum á ströndina?

Accepted Answer

Without við, Förum … is read as a 1st-person plural imperative/ hortative: “Let’s go to the beach.” With við, it’s a statement (“we are going”).

Question 17

Are there other natural ways to say the wind is strong?

Accepted Answer

Yes:
- Vindurinn er hvass. (“The wind is brisk/strong.”)
- Það er mikill vindur. (“There’s a lot of wind.”)
- Það er hvasst. (“It’s windy/strong wind.”)

Við förum á ströndina, þrátt fyrir að vindurinn sé sterkur.

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