Við förum út, þrátt fyrir veðrið.

We go out, despite the weather.

Breakdown of Við förum út, þrátt fyrir veðrið.

• við: we
• fara: to go
• veðrið: the weather
• út: out
• þrátt fyrir: despite

Questions & Answers about Við förum út, þrátt fyrir veðrið.

What does each word do grammatically?

• Við = subject pronoun, nominative plural, we.
• förum = 1st person plural present of fara (to go).
• út = directional adverb, out (to the outside), indicates motion.
• þrátt fyrir = fixed prepositional expression meaning despite / in spite of, governs the accusative.
• veðrið = the weather, neuter singular definite, here in the accusative (for neuters, nominative = accusative in form).

Why is it förum and not fara?

Because the verb fara conjugates in the present tense. The forms are:

• ég fer
• þú ferð
• hann/hún/það fer
• við förum
• þið farið
• þeir/þær/þau fara

Is the comma before þrátt fyrir veðrið required?

No. You’ll often see it written without a comma: Við förum út þrátt fyrir veðrið. The comma can mark a rhetorical pause, but it’s not grammatically required.

Can I put the “despite…” phrase first? What happens to word order?

Yes, and Icelandic keeps the finite verb in second position (V2). Example:

• Þrátt fyrir veðrið förum við út.

What’s the difference between út and úti?

• út = motion outwards: Við förum út (We go out).
• úti = location outside: Við erum úti (We are outside). Think motion vs. location.

How do I say “out of the house” or “out to the store / out to sea”?

• út úr húsinu = out of the house (úr takes dative).
• út í búðina = out to the store (í takes accusative for motion).
• út á sjó = out to sea (á takes accusative for motion; the form looks the same here).

What case follows þrátt fyrir, and why is it veðrið?

þrátt fyrir governs the accusative. veðrið is accusative singular definite of a neuter noun (same form as nominative). Indefinite is possible too, e.g. þrátt fyrir slæmt veður. Note: þrátt fyrir is a fixed unit; you can’t drop fyrir.

If I want a whole clause (“even though the weather is…”), should I use þrátt fyrir að or þótt?

The most idiomatic is þótt (or þó að) + subjunctive:

• Við förum út, þótt veðrið sé slæmt. You will also see þrátt fyrir að
  • clause (e.g., …að veðrið sé/er slæmt), which many speakers use, though some style guides prefer þótt with a clause.

How do I say “We are going out (right now)” vs. a general statement?

• Right now / about to: Við erum að fara út (núna). With fara, vera að often implies “about to leave.”
• General/habitual or scheduled: Við förum út. Context can also make this mean “we’re going out (now).”

How do I make it negative or add “still/nevertheless”?

• Negative placement: Við förum ekki út. (ekki follows the finite verb.)
• Adding “still”: Við förum samt út, þrátt fyrir veðrið. If you mean you’re not going out because of the weather, say: Við förum ekki út vegna veðursins.

Can út go before the verb, like “We out go”? Where does it go with other elements?

No. You can’t say Við út förum. Typically:

• Plain: Við förum út.
• With negation: Við förum ekki út.
• With a goal phrase: Við förum út í garðinn. (The directional út comes before the í/á phrase.)

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• þ = the voiceless th of thin; ð = the voiced th of this.
• á (in þrátt) is a diphthong like English ow in cow.
• tt is pronounced with strong aspiration (often heard like ht), so þrátt sounds roughly like “THRAUHT.”
• ú is a long oo, as in boot.
• ö (in förum) is like German ö or French eu (as in peur).
• Stress the first syllable of each word: VIð FÖrum Út, ÞRÁtt FYrir VEÐrið.