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Breakdown of Við flýtum okkur í vinnuna á morgnana.
við
we
í
to
vinna
the work
á
in
morguninn
the morning
flýta sér
to hurry
Questions & Answers about Við flýtum okkur í vinnuna á morgnana.
Why is there an extra word okkur after the verb? What does flýtum okkur mean?
The verb is flýta sér, a reflexive verb meaning “to hurry (oneself).” In Icelandic, reflexive verbs require a matching reflexive pronoun. With the subject við (we), the required form is okkur (us, dative). So Við flýtum okkur literally means “We hurry ourselves,” i.e., “We hurry.”
Can I just say Við flýtum without okkur?
No. Without the reflexive pronoun, flýta needs an object and means “to speed up/expedite” something:
- Við flýtum verkefninu. = “We are speeding up the project.”
To mean “we hurry,” you must use the reflexive form: Við flýtum okkur.
Why is okkur (not við) used, and why is it in the dative?
Reflexive verbs use a reflexive object that agrees with the subject in person/number and is in the case the verb governs. Flýta sér governs the dative. The dative reflexive forms are:
- 1sg: mér, 2sg: þér, 3rd: sér, 1pl: okkur, 2pl: ykkur, 3pl: sér.
Hence: ég flýti mér, við flýtum okkur, etc.
How do you conjugate flýta sér in the present?
- ég flýti mér
- þú flýtir þér
- hann/hún/það flýtir sér
- við flýtum okkur
- þið flýtið ykkur
- þeir/þær/þau flýta sér
How do I say this in the past, perfect, and imperative?
- Simple past: Við flýttum okkur. (We hurried.)
- Present perfect: Við höfum flýtt okkur. (We have hurried.)
- Progressive “right now”: Við erum að flýta okkur.
- Imperatives: Flýttu þér! (sg), Flýtum okkur! (let’s hurry), Flýtið ykkur! (pl)
What does í vinnuna mean exactly, and why is it definite?
- í vinnuna = “to work (to one’s workplace).” The preposition í with motion takes the accusative; vinnuna is the definite accusative singular of vinna (work/job).
- Places of regular activity often use the definite article with motion:
- í skólann (to school), í búðina (to the store).
- Compare:
- í vinnuna (to work, motion, acc.)
- í vinnunni (at work, location, dat.)
- í vinnu (at work, as a state, no article)
Why is it í and not something like til?
For going to an enclosed place or institution, Icelandic typically uses í (“into/to”) with the accusative for motion. til is “to/towards” mainly for directions, recipients, or purpose (e.g., til læknis “to the doctor’s,” til Íslands “to Iceland,” til vinnu “for work [purpose]”), not for entering your workplace.
What does á morgnana mean, and why that form?
á morgnana = “in the mornings” (habitually). It’s a common time expression built with á + definite accusative plural. Literally “on the mornings,” but used adverbially for habitual time. Other patterns:
- á kvöldin (in the evenings), á daginn (in the daytime).
Isn’t the noun “morning” morgunn? Why is it morgnana here?
Yes, the base noun is morgunn (morning). Its plural accusative is morgna, and adding the definite ending -na gives morgnana (“the mornings”). The -u- drops in these forms:
- sg: morgunn (nom), morgun (acc), morgni (dat), morguns (gen)
- pl: morgnar (nom), morgna (acc), morgnum (dat), morgna (gen)
- definite acc. pl.: morgnana
Could I say á morgna (without the definite) or á morgunina?
The idiomatic habitual expression is á morgnana. Forms like á morgna are nonstandard/rare in modern usage, and á morgunina is not how habitual time is expressed. Stick with á morgnana for “in the mornings.”
What’s the difference between á morgnana and á morgun?
- á morgnana = “in the mornings” (habitual, recurring).
- á morgun = “tomorrow” (a single future day). They are unrelated idioms.
Can I front the time phrase? How does word order change?
Yes. Icelandic main clauses are V2 (the verb is in second position). If you front the time phrase, the subject follows the verb:
- Á morgnana flýtum við okkur í vinnuna.
Both orders are fine; fronting adds emphasis to the time frame.
Is there a more colloquial way to say “hurry” than flýta sér?
Yes, very common colloquial: drífa sig.
- Við drífum okkur í vinnuna á morgnana.
It’s near-synonymous; drífa sig can feel a bit punchier/informal.
Any pronunciation tips for tricky parts?
- ý in flýtum is a long “ee” sound [iː].
- okkur has geminate kk pronounced “OHK-kur.”
- á is [au] like “ow” in “cow.”
- In morgnana, the cluster rg is pronounced with a voiced velar fricative [rɣ] before n; don’t pronounce an extra vowel between g and n.
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