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

We go to the beach, even though the wind is strong.

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

• vera: to be
• við: we
• fara: to go
• á: to
• sterkur: strong
• ströndin: the beach
• vindurinn: the wind
• þrátt fyrir að: despite the fact that

Questions & Answers about Við förum á ströndina, þrátt fyrir að vindurinn sé sterkur.

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

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

Why is it á ströndina and not á ströndinni?

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.

What does the -ina ending in ströndina mean?

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.).

What does þrátt fyrir að mean exactly?

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.”

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

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

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

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.

Can I put the concessive part first?

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.

Do I need the comma before þrátt fyrir að?

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 …

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

• 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.

How should I pronounce the tricky letters here?

• 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”).

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

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.

Why is it vindurinn and not vindur?

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”).

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

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.

Could I say til strandarinnar instead of á ströndina?

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.

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

• 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.

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

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”).

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

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.”)