Learn Hardcore Icelandic: Það er ekki auðvelt að vakna svona snemma.

Það is a “dummy it” (expletive subject). Icelandic often puts a heavy subject (like a whole verb phrase, here að vakna svona snemma) at the end, and uses Það upfront to keep the sentence flowing. You could also say: Að vakna svona snemma er ekki auðvelt. Both are correct; starting with Það is very common in speech and sounds natural and neutral.

Why is auðvelt in the neuter form and not auðveldur or auðveld?

When an adjective describes an idea, action, or clause (rather than a concrete masculine/feminine noun), Icelandic uses the neuter singular form. Here, the “thing” that’s not easy is the action “to wake up so early,” so auðvelt (neuter) is used. Forms:

masculine: auðveldur
feminine: auðveld
neuter: auðvelt

Could I just say Erfitt instead of Ekki auðvelt?

Yes. Það er erfitt að vakna svona snemma means “It is hard to wake up so early.” Ekki auðvelt is a bit softer/hedged; erfitt is more direct/strong. Both are idiomatic.

Why does ekki come after er?

Main clauses in Icelandic are generally V2 (the finite verb is in second position). The pattern is:

Subject/intro element (Það) + finite verb (er) + negation/adverbs (ekki) + rest. So: Það er ekki auðvelt … If you front something else, the finite verb still stays second:
Í dag er ekki auðvelt að vakna svona snemma.

What is að before vakna? Is it the same as English “to”?

Here að is the infinitive marker (like English “to” before a verb). It’s not the preposition “to/towards,” and it’s not the conjunction “that.” In this sentence it simply marks the verb vakna as an infinitive: að vakna = “to wake (up).”

What’s the difference between vakna and vekja?

vakna = to wake up (intransitive: the sleeper wakes). Ég vakna klukkan sjö. “I wake up at seven.”
vekja = to wake (someone/something) (transitive). Ég vek barnið. “I wake the child.” They’re not interchangeable.

Is vakna upp correct?

Standard and safest is just vakna. Vakna upp does occur colloquially, but many speakers consider upp redundant here. Use plain vakna, and if you want “wake up to/because of [noise],” say vakna við hávaða (not upp).

What exactly does svona mean in svona snemma?

Svona literally means “like this/that; in this way,” and as a degree adverb it means “so/this/that (much).” So svona snemma = “this/so early.” It’s common and slightly colloquial. A more neutral alternative is mjög snemma (“very early”). Þvílíkt snemma or svakalega snemma are stronger/informal.

Can I move parts around? For example: Að vakna svona snemma er ekki auðvelt.

Yes. Both are fine:

Það er ekki auðvelt að vakna svona snemma. (expletive það + heavy subject at end)
Að vakna svona snemma er ekki auðvelt. (subject clause first) The meaning and register are essentially the same; the second puts a bit more emphasis on the act of waking early.

How would I say “It’s not easy for me to wake up so early”?

Two natural options:

Það er ekki auðvelt fyrir mig að vakna svona snemma. (“for me” added with fyrir + acc.)
Mér finnst erfitt að vakna svona snemma. (“I find it hard …” with the dative experiencer mér + finnst)

Does snemma have comparative and superlative forms?

Yes:

positive: snemma (early)
comparative: fyrr (earlier)
superlative: fyrst (earliest/first) Example: Það er enn erfiðara að vakna enn fyrr. “It’s even harder to wake up even earlier.”

Any quick pronunciation tips for key words?

Það: initial þ is like English “th” in “thing”; final ð is the voiced “th” in “this.”
ekki: the kk is a hard, aspirated k sound; think “EH-khi.”
auðvelt: auð is a diphthong roughly like “oy” but fronted; say something like “oyth-velt.”
að (infinitive): short “a” plus voiced “th” (“að vakna” links smoothly).
vakna: stress on the first syllable: VAK-na.
svona: SVÓ-na (ó like a long “oh” sound).
snemma: SNE-mma (double mm = a longer m).